


Adjustments

by fanofdenial



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-08 21:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4321209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanofdenial/pseuds/fanofdenial
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the war, many of the seventh years return to Hogwarts to complete their disrupted education. They discover that there is a new mandatory course: "Adjustments" designed to remove Voldemort's influence by focusing on inter-house and muggleborn-pureblood relations. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy get paired as part of an assignment. Have things changed since the war? Dramione</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome! Thank you for reading this story. I've already written ahead so I promise to update regularly.*The story takes place the summer after the final battle. Everything up to that point is in canon.  
> ~All of this wonderful world belongs to JK Rowling  
> I think that covers everything. Happy reading !

Hermione smiled contentedly as she walked down the cobblestone path of Diagon Alley. The street was finally restored to its former glory. Gone were the boarded up shops and the air of despair. Now that the war was over everything was bright and cheerful once more. Hermione was in Diagon Alley to get her school supplies. Always the over-achiever, she was returning to Hogwarts to complete her 7th year even though she didn't need to. Part of it was that she craved normalcy after the horrors of the war. She expected that those sentiments were shared by Ron and Harry and were what had made convincing them to come back surprisingly easy.

After her routine visit to Flourish and Blotts and a trip to Madame Malkins for some new school robes, Hermione made her way to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. It was packed when she got there however. The only seat available was at the bar next to a man with an extremely familiar shock of white-blonde hair. "Malfoy," Hermione murmured. After the war, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had been sentenced to Azkaban—for life in Lucius's case, in a highly publicized trial. Harry had testified for Narcissa, speaking of how she had saved his life by lying to Voldemort, and earned her a reduced sentence. Draco Malfoy had gotten off completely, and had retreated from the public eye. Hermione wondered if the war and the events afterwards had changed him at all. She certainly wasn't going to go over to ask him however.

Tom the bartender noticed her at that moment. "Ms. Granger! What an honor. Please come have a seat." He gestured to the stool next to Malfoy's.

"O-oh that's alright Tom. There don't seem to be any seats available." Hermione said desperately.

"That's alright Granger. I won't be offended." The ever-familiar drawl of Draco Malfoy cut in. Not to be outdone, Hermione marched over and sat down.

"Well in that case!" She snapped.

Malfoy smirked but didn't say anything else. He merely stared straight ahead and took a sip of his drink. Tom, after looking back and forth between them shrugged and said, "What can I get for you Ms. Granger?"

"I'll have a plate of Sunday Roast thanks," Hermione said with a smile. Tom bowed and walked away. Draco snorted.

"What?!" Hermione snapped.

"I wouldn't have expected any less from you Granger. Always the snob."

Hermione huffed but said nothing, not wanting to engage him in one of the tiring exchanges she'd grown to expect from their school days. She could not stop herself from glancing over at the brooding blonde next to her however. Malfoy was still as good looking as ever, she grudgingly admitted to herself. Something was different however. Not only in the dark circles that stood out under his eyes, but in the way that he held himself. His posture was no longer as arrogant or self-assured. Hermione's observant eyes also noted that despite the hot summer day, Malfoy wore a long sleeved shirt. Finally noticing her gaze, Malfoy followed her eyes to his arms and reflexively grabbed his left forearm. Sneering at her, he drowned the last of his drink, threw down a few coins and stalked out of the bar before Hermione could say anything.

A few days later, Hermione found herself in Diagon Alley once more, this time with Ron, Harry, and Ginny. The other three had to get their school supplies and Hermione had agreed to accompany them. Hermione couldn't help remembering the unusual encounter she had had the last time she had visited Diagon Alley. Malfoy had seemed different, wounded almost. She had told none of her friends about her encounter. While she despised Malfoy just as much as Harry and Ron, she had always been more practical, never seeking a fight the way they did. She knew that Malfoy was the way he was because of the way he'd been raised, and so she didn't hold his behavior against him the way that Ron and Harry did. She knew that they'd flip if they even knew she had sat next to Malfoy.

It was when the four friends were in Flourish and Blotts getting school books from the seventh year section (Ginny was in seventh year now too) that they ran into him.

"Malfoy! You're going back too?" Ron blurted out.

"Ah look who it is. Potty, Weasels and the Bucktooth Know-it-all." Malfoy drawled.

Ginny glanced at Hermione and Hermione knew that she too had noticed the downgrade of Malfoy's insult. He always referred to Hermione as Mudblood. Hermione couldn't help wondering if it had anything to do with their encounter the other day. Ron and Harry were too riled up to notice.

"Piss off Ferret!" Harry snapped.

"With pleasure Pothead," Malfoy replied. "I have better things to do than waste my time on you four." As he said this he glanced at Hermione. Then he whirled around and walked away.

"What was that about?" Ginny whispered to Hermione.

"I have no idea." Hermione replied.

Draco mentally cursed himself. He had caught the glance exchanged between Granger and the Weaslette. He hoped that they weren't reading into his toned down insult. Just because he wasn't as bigoted as he had once been didn't mean that he'd had a sudden change of heart and wanted to get all chummy with Granger. He was still a Slytherin, she was still a Gryffindor and annoying to boot. He simply wanted to separate himself from You-know-Who's ways now that he could. He was still very much arrogant and Slytherin in his behavior, he simply didn't want to be looked at as a death eater or like his father. He'd have to make up for his mistake by insulting her the first chance he got once they were back at school. He knew that she was so nosy that she'd want to poke around and find out why he hadn't called her a Mudblood. She probably thought that she could 'fix' his behavior now that the war was over and Draco was having none of it. He wanted to be left alone by everyone this year, especially Granger and her sidekicks. Draco was only going back to school so that he wouldn't be alone until his mother came home. Yes, he'd have to make it very clear that even though the war was over, he was still Draco Malfoy Slytherin Prince.


	2. Chapter 2

At long last, it was finally here. The moment Hermione had been waiting for. As she looked at the gleaming Hogwarts express, Hermione couldn't help grinning. She was going home. Feeling a hand on her arm she looked up to see Harry looking down at her with a gentle smile. She knew that he realized just how much going back to Hogwarts meant to her.

"Shall we board?" he asked her.

"Yes let's," she smiled back.

Sitting next to Ron in their compartment, Hermione did her best to avoid eye contact with him as they sat across from Harry and Ginny who were snuggling and chatting intimately. Hermione and Ron had tried dating after their impulsive kiss in the chamber of secrets, but Hermione had soon broken it off. They had simply waited too long. It was too late to break out of their sibling-like relationship. They were slowly patching things up, but things were still awkward sometimes, such as now as they watched the happy couple in front of them. Harry and Ginny were stronger than ever, now that their relationship was no longer under the strains of the war. Hermione could not have been happier for her friend. After years of strife, Harry deserved this shot at happiness.

At long last, Hermione spotted the familiar towers and turrets of Hogwarts in the distance. "We're almost there !" she exclaimed.

As they stepped off the platform she saw familiar faces popping up. It seemed that Neville, Luna, Dean and Seamus had all decided to come back. Several of the Slytherins had as well, including the annoying Pansy Parkinson, quiet Daphne Greengrass, and brooding Blaise Zabini. Hermione couldn't help looking around to see if another certain Slytherin had indeed come back. Before she could spot him however, she was pulled away by an excited Ginny Weasley to join a carriage with Harry, Ron, Neville, and Luna.

"Neville! Luna! It's so nice to see you both!" Hermione said as she hugged them both warmly.

"A lot more people can see the Thestrals this trip eh?" Neville observed sadly.

They all sat in silence for a moment, remembering friends who weren't making the journey to the castle this year.

"A lot of Slytherins came back didn't they?" Ron asked to break the silence.

"I guess even Slytherins don't like to be lonely," Luna said in her dreamy way.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"Well practically all of their parents have been locked up in Azkaban," Ginny said. "I wonder if they've changed at all now that the war is over and all is said and done."

"Well they're still bloody Slytherins." Ron grimaced. "You wouldn't catching me talking to them, Voldemort or not."

The rest of the ride past uneventfully. It wasn't until the sorting ceremony that anything unusual occurred. The hat's song was typical, outlining the four houses and their traits for the rather large group of nervous first years, Hermione observed happily. The last message of the hat's song however, was somewhat different.

_Now the war's been won and evil's dead_

_Yet there's work to do and breaks to mend_

_There's now a chance for enemies to become friends_

_We must forgive, we must forget_

_Or the dark may triumph yet_.

Silence greeted the hat's statement, and Hermione couldn't help glancing at the Slytherin table. She spotted that white blonde hair-Malfoy had indeed returned! As if he could sense her gaze, he looked up, and when he saw her looking at him, sneered. Hermione looked down quickly, blood rushing to her face. Clearly she had imagined that things might be different. He was still the same, still hated her. What was she thinking? Just because he wasn't out to get her now didn't mean that he didn't hate her and her non-pure blood. She felt Ron nudge her-the sorting had finished and Headmistress McGonnagal was speaking.

"...Forbidden Forrest is still off limits. Finally, would all of the new and old seventh years please stay after the feast for a brief meeting. Thank you, and enjoy."

And with that, the sparkling gold plates and goblets became loaded with food and drink.

"I wonder what that could be about," Ron mumbled with his mouth full of steak and kidney pie. Hermione wrinkled her nose. Some things never changed.

"I dunno, guess we'll find out." Harry said.

At long last, the food was gone and the hall cleared of all except the seventh years and Professor McGonnagal.

"You must all be wondering why I have kept you, so I will make you wait no longer. This year I will be teaching you all a new course called Adjustments. This course deals not with magic but with something far more important. It seems that despite the war being over, some issues remain. This course is designed to remedy those issues. By the end of the year, I expect this group to have finally achieved house unity and healthy muggleborn-pure blood relations. There is absolutely no need for any of this nonsense to remain. We are all wizards and witches, all equals, and all survivors," McGonnagal added softly. "And I mean all of you!" she added in her normal stern matter, glaring at the Griffyndors and Slytherins who were sizing each other up in a rather unfriendly manner. "I except to see you all in my classroom strait away after lunch tomorrow. Dismissed!"

"Adjustments!?" Ron exclaimed later on in the common room. "Why do we all have to go? The only ones who need adjusting are those blasted Slytherins?"

Hermione looked at Ginny who rolled her eyes. Ron could be brave and noble, but he was equally thick. Privately, Hermione absolutely agreed with McGonnagal, and she'd do anything she could to help make this class a success. She knew that it was bound to be difficult. Indeed, perhaps for the first time, Hermione Granger would be in a class that wouldn't be easy for her to ace. She knew that she would have more than a few nasty comments thrown her way by the Slytherins. As she curled up in bed later that night, Hermione couldn't help but wonder if Malfoy would be one of the Slytherins who would insult her.

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first Adjustments class!

After a tense Griffyndor-Slytherin potions class and lunch, the Golden Trio and Ginny found themselves making their way to their first "Adjustments" class. Much to Hermione's chagrin, they were running late.

"Hurry up you three!" she hissed at her best friends. "What a horrible way to start off this new course!"

"Sorry Mione, but I don't make it a point to run to my doom." Ron snapped back.

When they finally arrived, they saw that all of their classmates were still waiting in the hall.

"Oh thank goodness," Hermione sighed in relief.

"Hallelujah," Ron grumbled.

"The old bat is late," Blaise Zabini smirked. "Guess this course is not as important as she made it out to be."

"I think I'll take this time to make one thing very clear," Pansy Parkinson simpered in her incredibly grating voice, her pug-like face screwed up in a revolting smirk. "I don't care what anyone says. War or not, I am never willingly going to waste my time with any of you, especially the gryffindorks."

Hermione noted that Malfoy still had not said anything. Catching his eye, she nodded at Pansy and raised her eyebrows in exasperation. To her horror, his face once again rearranged itself into that horrible sneer. Stepping forward next to Pansy he leaned forward and said coldly,

"I agree Pans. Pureblood or not, they're still disgusting." Gesturing to Hermione he added, "Take this one here. Putting aside the question of her blood, she's still a bloody annoying, bushy haired, busybody."

Pansy cackled in delight, both at the insult and his endearment of her. Maybe her Drakeypoo finally wanted to take her back!

Hermione was reeling. Sure his words were not as cruel as they might have been, but he had purposely humiliated her. Clearly, nothing had changed! Apparently they were cruel enough for Harry and Ron as well, who had both sprung forward with wands pointed at Malfoy. Before they could react any further however, a stern voice cut through the tension.

"Now really, you all had to go and prove me right?" McGonagall sighed in exasperation. "Congratulations all of you—you've just failed your first assignment!"

As she lead them into the class, grumbling could be heard amongst the students. Was she going to fail them before she'd even assigned them their task? Did rules simply not apply in this course?

"The old bat shows up late and fails us!?" Ron grumbled to Harry.

"Mr. Weasley, surely you must know by now that I am never late?" McGonagall called from the front of the classroom. "Or that I have impeccable hearing?" she added slyly.

"Clearly, there's an exception to every rule," Blaise whispered to Draco who smirked.

"Yes indeed there is, Mr. Zabini," McGonagall called out sharply. Blaise looked shocked. He was never caught! He should have known not to underestimate McGonagall.

"I was intentionally late," the clever teacher explained to the dumbfounded class, "in order to give you all time to complete your first assignment, which you so clearly failed. If you cannot all remain civil for five minutes in the hallway, then maybe it is now clear to you all that we have our work cut out for us."

Complete silence followed her statement as the students glanced around at each other nervously, and in some cases guiltily. The Slytherins merely looked bored. Privately, Draco Malfoy was not as calm as he appeared. Why did that know-it-all Granger force him into these situations? Here he was, not joining in the Slytherin fun, remaining neutral when she had to cast him a glance trying to mock his own house. Sure Parkinson was revolting, but he certainly was not going to side with the Gryffindorks! Clearly he had sent an unintentional message those days in Diagon Alley that had not been remedied by his sneer at dinner last night. He was forced to send a more severe message this time. Her expression when he had done so sent a flash of guilt through him. It was as though he had cursed her or called her Mudblood. Why did she deserve this? All she had done was rid him of the Dark Lord's reign and in return he had hurt her. Draco angrily pushed those thoughts aside. She was still a Gryffindor, and whether or not he called her it to her face, a Mudblood. Blaise nudged him suddenly and Draco focused on the front of the class where McGonagall was speaking. They'd never admit it to anyone, but the old bat intimidated them.

"Now this will be a course in which a seating arrangement will be employed. Ravenclaws with Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors with Slytherins since you two houses are clearly the ones who need the most work. The person with whom I seat you will be your partner for the duration of this course, so do try and get along will you?" she added dryly.

Hermione's stomach was in knots. There really was no win in any scenario in which she had to sit with a Slytherin. There were only scenarios that were worse than others, she thought as she glanced at Malfoy.  
She focused on the front again as McGonagall started pairing people, sentencing them to their doom, Hermione thought morosely.

"Ron Weasley and Daphne Greengrass." McGonagall called out.

"Of course Ron lucks out and gets the one Slytherin who tends to keep her mouth shut!" Ginny hissed at Hermione who nodded fervently in agreement.

"Harry Potter and Blaise Zabini."

"Ouuu I wonder how that one will play out!" Ginny whispered. "I guess it could have been worse, he could have been paired with Malfoy. I wonder who'll get placed with him anyway. If I did, I'd die," she finished in her dramatic way.

"You think you would," Hermione thought.

"Ginny Weasley and Pansy Parkinson."

Ginny gasped in dismay. "Ohmygosh I take that back, I'll go with Malfoy!" Ginny whispered to Hermione in dismay. "Just save me from that she-devil!"

Hermione felt sympathetic for her friend, but she couldn't help her thoughts straying to the fact that as more and more people got paired up, her chances of getting doomed to Malfoy were increasing drastically.

Then it happened. The moment everyone had been waiting for. Draco Malfoy got assigned his partner.

"Draco Malfoy and—"

The hubbub and snarky remarks between the already paired Slytherins and Gryffindors ceased as everyone watched with baited breath.

"—Hermione Granger."

There was an audible gasp. What was McGonagall thinking!? Hermione slumped down in her seat as across the room, Draco Malfoy shot her a sneer.

xxxxxxx

Resignedly, Hermione sat down next to Malfoy. She vowed not to let him get to her. Despite this setback, she still believed in the course and what it was trying to achieve. She had decided to look at her pairing as a major challenge the course offered, and Hermione always rose to meet challenges, especially where her marks were involved. Her resolve was immediately tested however.

With the sneer that she was coming to expect, Malfoy immediately said, "How typical of this stupid school, to assign us some bogus task designed to make my life a living nightmare."

Immediately she felt anger course through her. How dare this boy speak of living nightmares, after what she had gone through last year. And to call being partnered with her a living nightmare after he had served Voldemort! How dare he show up with his stupid sneer and his arrogance and try and mess up the first true chance at happiness she had had in a very long time.

"How dare you! You think being partnered with me is a nightmare? My life was a nightmare last year, when I spent it hunting down horcruxes, living in the middle of nowhere in a tent with no food and a bunch of death eaters on my tail! Clearly you need this course as you are incredibly biased!"

"I'm biased!?" Malfoy replied evenly. "Do you think that I was living the dream last year? Do you think that I wanted the Dark Lord living in my home?"

Hermione was silent, as she considered both her words and his. She didn't know how to reply. Malfoy said nothing either, as he was also contemplating her words. He had always known however that she had sacrificed a great deal. He simply didn't see how it could change anything. They were interrupted by Professor McGonagall.

"Your next assignment is to have a simple conversation with your partner in which you will ask each other questions about things that interest you to know. Easier said than done I'm sure." She said wryly.

"Go ahead Granger. I'm sure you're dying to start being the keener that you are," Draco shot out.

"Fine. Um..what's your favourite colour?"

Draco snorted. "Really Granger? Are we going to be that elementary?"

"For your information a person's favourite colour can tell a lot about them! But fine if you know best go ahead!"

"Hmm…since we're on the subject of colour, tell me…what colour panties are you wearing?" Draco sniggered.

"How dare you! Do you have no sense of class?" Hermione asked in outrage.

"She said ask about things that interest us…well," Draco waggled his eyebrows, "this interests me. And besides, didn't you know? A person's panty colour can tell a lot about them!"

"You just forfeited your turn! What's your favourite book?"

"History of the Dark Arts." Draco answered immediately.

It was Hermione's turn to snigger. "How typical!"

Draco frowned. "You sure I'm the only one that's biased Granger?"

Hermione stopped short. Maybe she wasn't as innocent as she had thought. Maybe she did need this class.

Draco sighed. "What's your favourite book?"

"Hogwarts a History." Hermione replied immediately.

Draco was genuinely curious. "Why?"

Minerva McGonagall observed the pair before her. She had great hopes for them. Sure they weren't exactly getting along, but they were having something that resembled a conversation. Unbeknownst to everyone else due to their bias and judgment, they did not see the potential for redemption and forgiveness between Hermione and Draco that McGonagall saw existed. She had paired them purposely because of it, and—dare she say it?—because of the chemistry that existed between them.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ugh I cannot express how horrible that was!" Ginny Weasley moaned as the four friends trooped back to Gryffindor tower. "Please tell me that all of you hated that too!"

"Malfoy was Malfoy, need I say more?" Hermione said bitterly.

"Daphne wasn't so bad," Ron commented, shooting a furtive sideways glance at Hermione. "I never thought I'd say that about a Slytherin but she really was alright. For a Slytherin I mean. We chatted about our summers."

Hermione almost snorted. Did he really think he was going to make her jealous using a Slytherin!?

"I haven't made up my mind about Zabini yet. He still acts all superior, but I'm beginning to think that was just for show all along, and that he might actually be a cool guy. Maybe he'll feel comfortable being himself now that the war's over." Harry said.

"Well if he's anything like Malfoy, don't hold your breath. He certainly hasn't changed one bit." Hermione said.

xxxxx

Later that day, Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to pay Hagrid a quick visit before dinner. They hadn't seen their dear friend in quite a while. As they were heading down the hall, Hermione realised that she had forgotten her sweater. The weather had turned chillier in recent days, so she told the boys that she was going to run back to the tower and grab her sweater.

"You go on ahead, I'll catch up."

They were deeply engrossed in a quidditch debate so they barely registered her departure. She rushed to the tower, collected her sweater and began hurrying back. As she rounded the corner to the grand foyer, someone else was coming the other way and she ran right into them.

"Sorry," the person mumbled.

Straightening up, Hermione found herself face to face with none other than Draco Malfoy, whose face closed off as he recognized Hermione.

"Still sorry?" she asked cheekily.

His face darkened momentarily until he realized that she was joking.

"Of course not." he sneered, but Hermione could have sworn that a flash of humour crossed his face. Nodding curtly, she continued toward the foyer.

"Hey Granger!" he called.

She turned around. "Yes?" she asked impassively.

He paused for a moment, and he seemed to be deliberating something. Finally, he said,

"Do try and tame that hair will you, so you can at least see properly? Clearly it's a hazard." He smirked, not unkindly, then abruptly, he walked off.

Hermione continued on to Hagrid's in a slight daze, pondering what had just happened. Did Malfoy hate her or not? It was as though he acted cruelly toward her because he felt obligated to. She supposed feelings like that were exactly what the Adjustments class was trying to remedy.

xxxxx

It was so nice to see Hagrid, you could always count on him for a cheery smile Hermione thought as she sipped the tea he had made and pretended to eat his rock cookies. Ron filled Hagrid in on Charlie's work with the dragons and Fang drooled on Harry's lap. It was just like the old days, and exactly the type of thing Hermione had been looking forward to returning to.

Eventually, the inevitable happened.

"How did the Adjustments class go today?" Hagrid asked the three, his face turning serious.

"Well, Hermione certainly got the short end of the stick between the three of us," Harry told him.

"Why's that?" Hagrid asked Hermione, his face full of concern.

"I got the great honour of getting paired with Draco Malfoy," Hermione explained sullenly.

"Oh dear." Hagrid said. After a moment however, he added, "Maybe it's for the best Hermione."

"However could this be for the best!?" Hermione cried indignantly. "I got paired with the school bully, the cruelest Slytherin, and the bane of my existence, all rolled into one!"

"And if anyone is up to that challenge, it's you. You're the brightest witch of your age, and the most kind-hearted person I know. Surely Draco doesn't want to be the way he is anymore after last year. He's probably too scared or ashamed to let his guard down, or maybe he just doesn't know how to be kind. How could he, after being raised by a family like that? But if there's anyone up to the task of rescuing him, it's you Hermione."

Hermione didn't say anything after Hagrid finished his little speech, but deep down, she didn't take his words lightly. Could there be a good side to Draco Malfoy? Did she want to find it? If Hermione was completely honest with herself, she was scared of finding out, because to do so, she would have to make herself completely vulnerable to her enemy, and also set herself up to admit that she had been wrong, not to mention biased just like Malfoy himself. She didn't know if she wanted to do that. But she was Hermione Granger, kind to a fault, and this was a class project, and Hermione didn't know how not to try hard for a class, so she would indeed try to find the good side of Malfoy.

xxxx

The following Adjustments class, Hermione sat down in her prescribed spot next to Malfoy with a smile plastered on her face and said,

"Good morning!"

Draco merely grunted. Hermione clenched her fists but kept her smile in place. She knew going into this that it wasn't going to be easy, and Malfoy wasn't disappointing.

"Well, I'll take this as a sign of progress, at least you didn't hex me," Hermione said lightly.

"Don't tempt me Granger," Draco warned.

At this, Hermione laughed. This finally caught Draco's attention as he looked up in surprise. Had he really just made Granger laugh?

"Why are you laughing?! " He asked.

"It's either that or I scream," Hermione admitted.

"That would be more fun."

"Don't tempt me," she retorted.

At this, he raised an eyebrow. She was better at this than he gave her credit for. Boarder line amusing in fact. Then he caught himself. Had he really just called talking to Granger amusing? He had to do damage control again.

"So I see that you didn't tame that hazardous hair of yours," he began with a smirk.

She grinned, clearly falling for his trap. But before she could get out her clever retort to begin what she thought would be playful banter, he added,

"When you do get around to it, fix your face as well. It's so ugly that it's also hazardous, to the eyes. And don't worry, I'm not saying that because of your blood status, it's just a question of genetics. Some people are born beautiful, and other unfortunate souls are born looking like you." He added a sneer as the finishing touch.

Hermione stared in horror. He had just crossed the carefully constructed line she had drawn to mark their progress. Such unnecessary, humiliating comments. She wasn't getting through to him. He was still vile and cruel. She turned and faced the front, and would not utter another word for the remainder of class.

xxxx

The next day however, after she'd cooled down and had some time to reflect, her clever mind had picked out a pattern, and she planned on confronting Malfoy about it during that days Adjustments class. She plunged in immediately during the "discussion period" that took place between partners at the beginning of each class.

"I noticed something Malfoy," she began.

"What's that Granger? That your hair is a complete frizz fest?"

Taking a deep calming breath, Hermione ignored his comment completely.

"You and I go through cycles. We reach a point where we almost get along, then you withdraw and attack me. It's as though as soon as we start to make progress, you have to destroy it. One step forward two steps back so to speak. Tell me, why is that? "

Malfoy was at a loss. What was he going to say now? If he offended her, she would just assume that he was 'taking two steps back.' Damn, why did she have to be so freaking clever?

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to get along with you?"

"Why though, being enemies takes so much effort!"

"Because you remind me of stuff okay!"

"What kind of stuff?"

"Never mind alright!"

"Alright Malfoy, alright." Hermione said, but she smiled to herself. That, had been progress.


	5. Chapter 5

Draco paced back and forth in the Slytherin common room. He couldn't believe that he had confessed that to Granger. If he was honest with himself, it had felt good. But years of being told again and again by his father and his crazy aunt that Muggleborns were scum of the earth; that they weren't to be trusted, that he was better than all of them, and that he had to keep all of his emotions pent up inside him were weighing down on him, greeting him at every turn. His father would have been so incredibly ashamed if he had heard Draco even reveal the little that he had in the Adjustments class earlier that day. He would have regarded that as "sissy" behavior, to be laughed at, scorned. Draco felt so conflicted. He truly wanted to open up to Hermione, to have someone that he could trust and who could help lighten even a bit of the tremendous load that he felt weighing down on him all the time. But that would mean turning his back completely on his family. Even though they were horrible people who had treated him like dirt in many ways, they were still his family, and this bad behaviour seemed like the only connection to them that Draco had left. Truthfully, Draco had a fear of the unknown, and trusting the know-it-all definitely qualified as the unknown. Even though Hermione was one of the heroes of the war, to Draco she was still his school nemesis, the muggle-born who had been the cause of much scorn from his father. He could still hear his disgusted voice now, "How could you come second to a mudblood?" Many bad memories were associated with her, as well as the racking guilt he felt whenever he looked at her, remembering her screaming on the floor of his manor as his aunt tortured her for information that she did not have. In many ways, Draco's issues were not with her house or people of her birthright, but simply with her. Well really, they were his issues about her.

His brooding was interrupted by Blaise Zabini going, "So Drake, do tell us how you are 'adjusting' to Granger?"

"Can't say if there's nothing to tell." Draco shot back.

"Well I certainly have a lot to share," Blaise replied. "You know, Potter is a lot nicer than we give him credit for."

"I always thought that his niceness was precisely the issue," Draco said sardonically. "He's loyal, nice, honourable…it's sickening." He smirked at Blaise who just shook his head.

"Well I'm discovering that nice can be good." Blaise mused. "You know, he hasn't been mean to me once. But he doesn't push it either. It's like he's giving me my space to open up at my own pace. He's treating me more nicely than I'll ever deserve," he finished softly.

Draco didn't quite know how to reply. Blaise seemed to be taking the classes in stride. So as usual, he deflected.

"How about you Daph?" he called out to Daphne who seemed to be in her own little world over by the huge black fireplace.

"Hmm?" she said with a start.

"How are you finding this Goddamn course?" he repeated.

Daphne had in fact been tuned out thinking about the course. More specifically, she was daydreaming about a certain someone in that class. Ron Weasley was more than she had ever expected a Gryffindor could be. He was funny, and seemed to like her. Daphne had always been a quiet, reserved girl. Serious like most Slytherins, yet she kept to herself, not often participating in the trouble that her housemates got up to. Sure, she hung out with Pansy and her followers, but that was more just for show, and so she'd have a bit of company. She was definitely on the fringes. She found that Ron's loud-mouth, humourous personality complimented hers quite nicely. They balanced each other out well. In fact, Daphne wasn't dreading the Adjustments courses any more. Quite the opposite actually—she eagerly awaited them. She was still a Slyrherin however, all she said was,

"It's going fine."

Draco didn't seem to find her answer out of the ordinary. All of the Slytherins expected short answers from Daphne.

"That's good," he said, then turned around to talk with Blaise.

Daphne watched Draco chat with his best mate. He had changed so much this year. He was tense all the time, as though he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Daphne knew that he felt personally responsible for much of his family's crimes, even though he had had nothing to do with most of them. But that was the old pureblood way. Families shared everything, including guilt. She wished that she could do something to help her peer, but Draco never let anybody in, not even Blaise. He was exceedingly private, although you'd never guess by his bravado, something that Daphne knew was all for show. She wondered if Hermione Granger would have any luck. A week ago, Daphne would have scoffed at the idea, but as she was learning, there was more to Gryffindors than she had given them credit for. She smiled as she thought of Ron's freckled face and smiling blue eyes. The Adjustments classes were changing things, that's for sure.

xxxxx

"Now this next project is one which I know that many of you will struggle with," Proffessor McGonagall said in her usual stern way as she peered at the class over her spectacles. "But it's time to move things along."

Draco glanced at the witch sitting next to him. Somehow, he had trouble agreeing with his teacher's words.

"The assignment itself is simple," McGonagall continued. "Each partner must pay the other three compliments. You shall take turns. That is all. Begin!"

Draco gulped. He had trouble giving compliments to his friends. How was he going to give them to Granger?

"Would you like me to begin?" Hermione offered.

For once, Draco didn't disagree with her. Giving her a curt not, he leaned back with his arms behind his head and did what he did best:

"Go ahead, lavish me with praise Granger," he smirked arrogantly.

"Fine. Well, there's no disputing that you are quite intelligent," Hermione began.

"As are you," Draco said somewhat grudgingly. "There. One down, two to go."

"Oh, no no no. That won't do. You have to come up with an original compliment." Hermione said firmly.

"She never said that!"

"I do though. Go ahead!"

"Dear God woman, I've never met someone as bossy as you!"

"I really don't think that qualifies as a compliment. Try again."

Draco bit back a growl. "Fine. Have it your way. Umm…I've never met anyone as determined as you. That can be interpreted as a nice thing to say. Take it or leave it."

"I'll take it," Hermione said sounding surprised. "Thank you," she added sincerely.

Draco nodded bruskly, avoiding eye contact.

Well," Hermione said, "You're a fine Quidditch player."

"Better than Potter?" he smirked.

"Don't push your luck!" Hermione laughed. For once, Draco didn't mind not being called better than Potty.

"Well, you're a terrible flyer, so you don't need to worry about me copying your compliment!" Draco said.

Before Hermione could wonder if he was being serious or not, he actually shot her a grin. Her answering smile was immediate, and to her disbelief, she actually felt butterflies in her stomach at his smile. What was happening to her?

"Now, what can I say that is a compliment?" Draco mused. "Well Granger, you're not actually ugly."

"Nice try, but I think you'll have to do better than that."

"Fine," Draco replied. He got quiet for a moment, then hesitantly, he said in a near whisper, "You're not too bad looking at all, Granger."

The butterflies returned in full force, but Hermione kept her face straight and said, "Thank you Malfoy."

Grinning once more, Draco said, "Now that is a compliment that I definitely have to worry about you stealing and directing at me!"

"I don't think so Malfoy." Hermione laughed. Draco joined her for a brief moment. His laugh was fleeting, but it was music to Hermione's ears.

"Time for your final compliment, better make it good!" Draco said.

This time, it was Hermione's turn to hesitate. When she spoke, her words stirred something deep inside Draco. "I really do think that you have it in you to be a good person," Hermione whispered, her warm chocolate brown eyes holding Draco's gaze.

Draco felt as though her words had thrown his thoughts into upheaval. He was already confused by their banter. He hadn't meant to let his guard down, but it was so easy to feel relaxed with her. She was one of those people who made you feel as though you had known them your entire life even though you had only just met them, which in many ways, Draco realized, was exactly what had happened to him. He was really just getting to know Hermione Granger now. What's more, Draco realized that he craved more. He was so in over his head.

He realized that he had been silent for over a minute, and had to say something.

"How can you forgive me so easily?" he asked, his voice low.

"Because I'm a Gryffindor," Hermione replied, eyes twinkling.

Just like that, the tension broke. That was the thing about her, Draco mused. She was so incredibly intense, but also incredibly aware of his emotions, and seemed to know when he needed to take a step back. Before he knew what had come over him, he blurted out,

"You're the most kind-hearted person I know."

Hermione was quite once more. After a moment, she turned away from him. Still, she didn't say anything. Draco began to get nervous.

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

She turned back to him, and Draco was alarmed to see that her eyes were filled with tears.

"What did I say wrong?" he asked desperately, part of him wondering why the hell he cared if he had hurt her feelings. He really was losing his mind.

"You didn't say anything wrong," Hermione said smiling, "I'm just so touched. Thank you Malfoy, truly."

Draco replied in the only way that seemed natural in that moment. He shot her a smile. A real one.

Professor McGonagall observed their exchange with a smile of her own. Things were going far better than she had planned. Clearly they were becoming aware of the chemistry between them themselves, whether or not they realized it.

On the other side of the room, Blaise and Harry were completing their challenge as well.

"I was always jealous of your looks," Harry blurted out. "Mostly because of the way the ladies respond to them." He admitted.

Blaise snorted with humour. "How about your hot little red head?" he asked Harry. "I wouldn't mind if she took notice of me if you know what I mean." He winked.

Harry opened his mouth in protest. "Kidding!" Blaise cut in, smiling. "Cool your jets, I'm just kidding."

Harry did something that surprised himself. He laughed. Blaise joined in, and soon the two men were holding their sides as they hooted.

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" Harry gasped out between laughs.

"Yes indeed, a compliment à la Zabini." Blaise replied, chuckling.

"My my Zabini, you really are a piece of work."

"Gee thanks, what a compliment!"

Ron and Daphne had completed their assignment easily, and then some. Most of the other pairs had as well, though that was less surprising as there weren't any pairings that were as volatile as Hermione and Draco and Harry and Blaise. Other than Ginny and Pansy that is.

"You're quite pretty….for a dog." Ginny snapped at Pansy.

"Your hair is amazing, orange as a flame!" Pansy replied. "So bright that I sometimes think that your head is actually on fire….than my daydream gets interrupted."

McGonagall shook her head in exasperation as she observed the pair. Oh well, progress doesn't always happen overnight.


	6. Chapter 6

"Well, it seems that this activity garnered mixed results." Professor McGonagall proclaimed as she pierced the class with her stern gaze. "However, mixed is more than I could have hoped for at this stage of the game, so we shall call this activity a success."

Draco snuck a glance at Hermione and shook his head. She sat rigidly on the edge of her seat the way she always did when a teacher spoke, as though she was trying to soak up every ounce of information they were providing, no matter how extraneous it might be. It struck Draco that it didn't annoy him as much as it once would have.

"Today I will be giving you your first homework assignment," McGonagall continued.

Hermione edged forward even further on her seat, looking as though her entire body was focused on McGonagall's words.

"Your first major project for this course will be to spend some time with your partner outside of class. It strikes me as though part of the reason for the nastiness exchanged is due to peer pressure. I can't help thinking that if some of you were removed from this type of environment, you might be more cordial. Therefore, this weekend you must meet with your partner and plan an activity that you will do with them at some time during the next couple of weeks."

"I have to take Granger on a date!?" Malfoy called out in shock.

"You're the only one who's mentioned a date Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall replied, eyes twinkling.

A few people in the class snickered, and Malfoy hunched forward, cheeks flaming.

"Class dismissed!" McGonagall said.

"Malfoy—" Hermione said tentatively.

"Save it Granger!" he snapped. He'd already made enough of a fool of himself. This was exactly what he had feared. Grabbing his bag, he stormed out of the class, leaving behind a confused and distraught Hermione.

Xxxxx

The following morning, Draco decided to take advantage of his desire for solidarity by getting a head start on his rapidly growing pile of homework in the library. He should have known that she'd be there.

"Malfoy!" she called out in a stage whisper. He almost laughed out loud, of course she'd never dream of shouting in the library. Or even talking at normal volume, he thought in exasperation, as she whispered "Malfoy!" again.

"What do you want Granger?" he snapped, still feeling the sting of the incident in yesterday's class.

"Well first off, you shouldn't keep taking out your anger on me, I wasn't involved in what happened yesterday." She began assertively.

"No, but you were the cause!" he replied hotly.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" she cried, looking up at the ceiling as though searching for help. "Grow up!"

Before he could help himself, Draco found himself saying, "Did I just get Hermione Granger to yell in the library?"

Looking at him closely, Hermione smiled, recognizing his attempt at humor as what it was—an apology. Luckily, she didn't push her luck and accepted it. Malfoys didn't do direct apologies.

"So, do you think we could talk about our…outing?" she asked carefully.

Looking at her eager, open face, Draco's expression softened somewhat and he said, "Sure, Granger."

Relief flooded her face and she shot him a small smile. She then abruptly snapped into what Draco and Blaise referred to as her "crazy schoolgirl mode." "So! What do you want to do?" she asked fervently.

"Umm…I hadn't really thought about it," Draco said honestly, bracing himself for her wrath. Granger was scary when it came to schoolwork.

Hermione sighed in exasperation, before taking a deep breath and saying, "I had an idea."

"Of course you did," Draco muttered."

Ignoring the jibe, Hermione steeled herself for his reaction and whispered, "We…we could go into the muggle world."

Draco burst into sincere laughter. "Good one Granger!"

Hermione just looked at him, waiting for him to realize just how serious she was. When he did clue in, his jaw dropped and he simply looked at her as though she had sprouted a second head.

"Look, just hear me out," Hermione begged. When he didn't respond, she seized her chance. "I think that this would be both good for exposing you to not only me, but to the muggle world as well. It would kill two birds with one stone so to speak. And you need 'adjusting' to both. As far as myself, I think it would be good for me to have to guide you through the experience. Plus to be honest, it's probably safest to put us in an environment where we can't use magic!" She grinned.

Even though it went against everything he had ever known or been taught, Draco found himself surrendering to the increasingly complex witch before him.

"Fantastic!" Hermione exclaimed.

Draco said nothing, he was feeling a bit weak.

"I'll let you know what we'll be doing once we find out the date of our…expedition. I promise that you'll enjoy yourself!" Draco sincerely doubted that, but thought it best not to argue, especially when she was going to be the only thing standing between himself and God knows how many muggles. Draco cringed inwardly at the very thought.

"Anyway, I have to run, see you later Draco!" she started to walk off at a brisk pace before she was stopped by his voice calling out, "Hey Granger!" she whirled around so quickly that she swore she almost gave herself whiplash. "Yes?" she asked, inwardly cursing herself for the breathy tone she had unconsciously adapted.

"Did you just call me Draco?"

With a start, Hermione realized that she had.

"Yes Malfoy, I suppose I did."

Draco's expression was unreadable. "Alright." He said simply, before he pulled out his potions book and began copying his notes, leaving a very flustered Hermione to watch him for a moment, before walking off in a daze.

xxxxx

"So Ron," Daphne contorted her voice to sound breathy. Placing her hand on his arm, she continued, "What do you want to do for our assignment?" She looked up at him through her lashes.

Ron however, did not look back, seeing as he couldn't tear his gaze from her hand on his arm. She squeezed it in what she hoped was a seductive manner.

"Um," he gulped. "Whatever you want to do is fine."

"Shall we go on the next Hogsmeade trip together then?" Daphne asked, removing her hand.

"That sounds fine," Ron replied distractedly, his gaze following her hand which was now twirling a lock of her hair.

Daphne had never been the greatest at flirting, but it was all too easy with Ron, he fell for the littlest things. At this rate, the Hogsmeade trip wouldn't be the next step in her plan to get Ron to ask her out, they'd be dating already!

xxxxx

"I'm not going anywhere with that pug-faced bitch!" Ginny complained to her boyfriend.

"Come on Gin, you have to," Harry tried to reason with her, wincing as she turned her furious gaze on him.

"But Harry, it's PANSY!" Harry winced again, this time in sympathy. "Oh well, at least you hate your partner too," Ginny attempted to console herself. Harry winced a third time, honestly it was beginning to look as though he had a twitch.

"Um hon, about that…" Harry began timidly.

"Harry James Potter you don't mean to tell me that you are beginning to like BLAISE ZABINI!?" Ginny screeched, sounding remarkably like her mother.

"Well…."

"How could you? What's to like?" Ginny asked, utterly confused. "Get along, sure, but LIKE?" That's a whole other story."

"Well to start he's hilarious, and not nearly as stuck up as he tries to appear. And he treats me like an equal, neither below nor above him. He doesn't treat me like a celebrity or like someone he despises. Quite frankly, he's a pretty cool guy," Harry sad in a rush, bracing himself for the fit he was sure to come. But Ginny just shook her head, completely dumbfounded.

"My God Harry, next you'll be telling me that Hermione's beginning to like Malfoy!"

xxxxx

She had called him Draco. How could she have called him Draco? Hermione had not only surprised him, but had caught herself completely off guard as well. What had she been thinking?

To be completely honest, she had been thinking about how he had actually agreed to go into the muggle world with her, and of the trust he must subconsciously have in her to agree and how excited that made her feel. She told herself that she was beginning to feel protective of and caring towards him as she did with any being who was hurt or vulnerable. Hermione had always had that protective instinct. And Draco was incredibly hurt, and whether or not he liked to admit it, vulnerable because of it. The raising his family had given him and the events of the year before had forced him to lock away the good side of himself. But slowly, Hermione was beginning to chip away at his cold exterior and expose the goodness inside him. She was doing it to help him, as she would with anyone in a desperate situation such as his. That's what she told herself anyway.

The truth however, whether or not she would admit it to herself, was that in those instances where Draco had exposed his kinder, warmer side, Hermione had really liked the person he became. So much so, that one could almost claim she had developed a crush on him.


	7. Chapter 7

Draco gave a start as a hand clutched his arm. Shrinking away from the unwanted contact, he turned toward the source snapping, "What!?" Catching sight of bushy hair and a warm, eager face, he recognized the intruder.

"Oh. It's you Granger." Pausing, he added, "Hi."

Hermione looked slightly taken aback before recovering and returning his greeting.

"Hi. Listen, I wanted to talk to you."

"No, really?" Draco said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously, unsure if he was joking around or being his usual rude self. She was pacified when Draco shot her a grin and said,

"I'd be surprised if you didn't want to. Smart as you are, you're still human Granger."

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, real mature," Draco said.

With rather impressive resolve, Hermione ignored the jibe and said, "Anyway, before we got sidetracked I was saying I had something to—"

"Before you got sidetracked by my impeccable physique…"

"Would you shut up!" Hermione finally burst out.

Draco looked slightly taken aback before expertly smoothing his face into a mask of indifference and replying,

"Go on then" sulkily.

Once again, Hermione hid her surprise, this time at the fact that he listened to her. She had seen him give Slytherins a harder time than he had just given her. With a rush of excitement, Hermione couldn't help thinking that maybe, just maybe, Draco was beginning to think of her as a friend.

"So, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," she began for the third time, flashing him a smile so that he knew she was half joking, "I spoke to Professor McGonagall, and our excursion will be taking place next Thursday evening."

Draco felt his stomach twist with worry. That was exactly a week away. Seven days until he had to spend an evening in the muggle world, not to mention an evening with Granger. Surprisingly, it wasn't disgust that made him nervous to spend the evening with her, but worry that he would mess things up. What was happening to him?

"What will we be doing?" He asked, feigning calmness and indifference.

Smiling, Hermione replied, "That's a surprise."

"How am I to prepare?" Draco was beginning to feel exceedingly nervous. He hated surprises, especially when it involved muggles and a girl who just a few weeks ago was one of his worst enemies and who he still did not entirely trust.

"Don't worry about that. Just dress formally and bring a change of casual clothes."

"What are we going to do, participate in a fashion show?" Draco asked genuinely, wrinkling his nose.

Stifling a laugh, Hermione said, "No no, I just want to squeeze in as many events as possible, and they're varying levels of formality.

All Draco could think was that he had to survive more than one event. At the moment, he'd rather duel the Dark Lord himself.

"Well, I think that's everything, I'll leave you be now…" Hermione's voice trailed off uncertainly.

"Okay….See you." Draco said softly.

This time, Hermione was not quick enough in masking her emotions. The happiness that crossed her face at his simple words caused something to stir in Draco. He truly had never met anyone like her. He deserved the very worst from her for all the pain and suffering he had caused her, and yet she treated him better than the other Slytherins did. Draco couldn't help feeling drawn to her whenever he was around her.

xxxxx

"Hey bitch!" Ginny Weasley called to Pansy Parkinson.

"Yes dog?"

Ginny heaved a huge sigh, as though her next words were tearing her up. "Wh-what are we going to do for our hang out?" Her voice twisted the words as though they were the most toxic words she had ever had to utter.

"How about I kill you, and bury you?" Pansy asked innocently.

"Ugh the last thing I want to do is spend any amount of time alone with you. This is pure torture!"

Suddenly, Ginny's face lit up as though a lightbulb had gone off, which metaphorically, it had.

"That's just it! Neither of us want to spend any time alone together!"

Pansy spoke slowly as though Ginny was stupid. "Yes Weaselette, but we have to so I really don't understand your excitement. Unless you've finally gone insane, not entirely impossible."

Ignoring her, Ginny continued, "Why don't we ask McGonagall if we can plan a party for the other people in our class? Then we have something concrete to work on together, and then the actual evening we won't be alone together, we can actually avoid each other. I'm sure she'll go for it, it'd be another event where the class has to hang out!"

Pansy hated to admit it, but the redhead had just had a good idea. She only had one question:

"What kind of party?" She asked suspiciously.

Grinning evily, Ginny replied, "The best kind. The exciting kind."

For the first time in her life, Pansy Parkinson flashed a Gryffindor a sincere smile.

"So we'll need to go into Hogsmeade and get some firewhisky. I'm of age now so that shouldn't be an issue. And we'll have to brew Veritasserum for truth or dare of course, it's no fun unless there's complete honesty. As far as food…."

To someone passing by, the two seemed almost chummy as they planned their big bash.

xxxxx

Daphne shivered with happiness as she felt a large hand gently grab her arm and heard his voice say,

"Hey, shall we meet at noon to head into Hogsmeade Sunday or shall we go in a little earlier and grab lunch?"

"Lunch is good, I like the Three Broomsticks!" she said flashing what she hoped was a radiant smile.

"Great." Ron said returning her smile softly.

Daphne felt as though her legs were turning to jelly under his gentle gaze. Damn, she was falling hard.

xxxxx

"Hey Zabini!" Harry called as he caught sight of him in the hallway on his way to lunch.

"Well well well, if it isn't the boy who wouldn't die himself," Blaise drawled, winking as he did so.

Harry grinned as they fell into what was quickly becoming a comfortable routine of friendly teasing.

"So Hermione's taking Malfoy into the muggle world, and that made me think that maybe we could too. I'd love to see you at an amusement park." He added, grinning wickedly.

"That's one of those places with a rolling coast and ferret wheel?" Blaise asked suspiciously.

Harry laughed and said "Yes, they have rollercoasters and Ferris wheels," emphasizing the terms that Blaise had said incorrectly.

"Game on!" Blaise said, never one to back down from a challenge. "On the condition that we go to a bar after so that I can compare the hotness of muggle chicks to witches."

xxxxx

A week later, Draco found himself nervously waiting for Hermione in the huge foyer of the castle. He was donning a black tuxedo, his hair slicked back from his face. He couldn't help tapping his foot in anxiety. He was seriously regretting agreeing to this, not because of the fact that he would be going into the muggle world, though that wasn't helping, but because he would be spending the evening with Hermione. What would they talk about? Draco didn't want to embarrass himself. He wanted to impress her. He forgot all his worries momentarily as he caught sight of her descending the grand staircase. He sucked in a breath. There were no other words for it, she looked absolutely stunning.

She was wearing a flowy lilac coloured dress. It had one strap adorned with crystal decorations that matched the ones round her waistline. The dress flared out at her waist and fell to her knees, allowing for a view of her silver coloured pumps. She wore crystal studs in the shape of flowers, and her hair was pulled to one side, hanging over the other shoulder in a ringleted pony tail. What's more, it was sleek and shiny, just as it had been at the Yule Ball. Draco had found himself unable to take his eyes off her that night, and he couldn't right now. The difference was that then, he had been unable to approach her, and was expected to hate her. Now, he was supposed to like her, befriend her. He felt thrilled at the notion.

"Draco." She smiled up at him.

"So we're on a first name basis again?" he asked coyly.

"Well it feels strange to be spending an evening together and refer to each other by our last names, no?"

"I suppose so, Hermione." Hermione's heart raced at his words. Her name had never sounded so attractive.

"So uh, what do I do with these?" he held out jeans and a black t-shirt.

"Just shove em in here," Hermione opened the purple beaded she was carrying.

"…how?"

"Undetectable extension charm," Hermione said proudly. "This bag got me through last year," she added softly, almost absentmindedly, as a shadow crossed her face.

Uncertainly, Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "Shall we go to whatever hellhole you're taking me too?" He smiled to make it clear that his words held no malice.

Hermione's face seemed to clear. Gracing him with one of her radiant smiles, she said, "Yes, lets. McGonagall gave us special permission to apparate from within the castle just for this evening." Offering him her arm, she said, "Come on Draco!" Flashing him another smile which gave him the courage and willingness to nervously clutch her arm. The unlikely pair spun as one and disappeared from sight.


	8. Chapter 8

Draco kept his eyes squeezed shut even after they had landed. He was scared of opening them, because that would make the fact that he was in muggle territory a reality. Then he remembered who his company was and rapidly opened his eyes. He could not exhibit weakness in front of Granger. He had to appear strong, fierce….cool, suave…dear Merlin, he was done for.

A gentle touch on his arm brought him back to the present.

"Are you ready Draco? You'll be great." She smiled gently up at him, and just like that, his nerves were under control. Not gone, but manageable.

He grinned back at her. "Let's get this over with. What shall my first torture be?"

She laughed, then responded simply:

"Dinner."

"That's it!?"

She laughed once more, though this time it sounded foreboding instead of charming to Draco, though it was the same laugh.

"Of course not!" She beckoned him to follow her into what Draco assumed to be a restaurant, it looked similar enough to wizarding food joints he had to admit. He was wondering if the fancy clothes they were wearing were purely for Granger's amusement until he noticed the sign in the window that said:

Fridays: Dinner and Dance—enjoy an evening of fine dining and ballroom dancing to live accompaniment!

He gulped. "Uh…Granger…what day of the week is it today?"

Hermione merely smiled and dragged him inside.

"Come on Draco! Dinner is dinner, it's really not that different in the muggle world!"

"Yes I know but dancing? Ballroom dancing?"

"You seemed to know what you were doing at the Yule Ball," Hermione pointed out. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Is this just because it's a muggle dance?"

The real difference was that at the Yule Ball Draco hadn't been worried about stepping on Pansy's toes or impressing her. But he didn't bother correcting Hermione. He'd rather she kept thinking that he was bigoted than clue her in to the cloud of emotions that he was trying to sort through in regards to her.

He was saved by the maître d' coming forward and leading them to their seats. Draco was very pleased with himself when he discovered that he wasn't thoroughly disgusted by the muggle man. Before he knew it he was sitting across from Hermione in a cosy booth in the corner of the restaurant. Steeling himself for the conversation that would ensue he gazed around (with interest, he grudgingly admitted,) at the muggle restaurant.

He had to admit that it was tastefully decorated in plush red and silver upholstery and crystal chandeliers. An expansive polished wood dance floor was the centrepiece of the room. The live band that had been advertised was situated unobtrusively in one corner of the room. Booths such as the one occupied by himself and Hermione lined the walls, and round tables, both small ones for couples and larger ones for groups too big for the booths, were scattered around the dance floor. He had to admit, he was impressed.

"So." Hermione stated.

Draco arched an eyebrow. "So?"

Hermione spoke the way that she did when speaking about an assignment. "What are your initial thoughts?" She asked rapturously.

Draco suddenly had the distinct sensation of being an experiment being examined. Recognising that this was just the way Hermione was, he played along and answered honestly.

"The décor is quite nice actually.'

Hermione smiled but was clearly not satisfied. "And?"

Bracing himself, Draco continued. "I…don't feel revolted as I had expected."

Looking around once more, Draco furrowed his brow. "They really are just people aren't they? I mean I still think that we must be superior in some way, I mean why else would we be blessed with powers and not them? But I don't hate them the same way I once did. I mean it's not their fault and," here his face hardened, "after the atrocities I committed, I'm certainly not in a position to judge who is and who isn't disgusting."

Hermione's heart went out to the brooding blonde before her. She had come to realize that there truly was good in Draco, and that he did have the potential to reveal it. She couldn't believe that in such a short amount of time he had come such a long way.

"Well I am certainly impressed!" She said in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Draco Malfoy, muggle lover!" She laughed.

To her delight, Draco laughed along with her before saying, "I wouldn't go that far Granger!"

The ice officially broken, the two teased each other until the waiter came to take their orders. Hermione bit back a smile as Draco floundered looking at the menu. There was a definite lost puppy look about him. Taking pity, she ordered a variety of appetizer-type entrées that were both unique to the muggle world and shareable, opting to both have him try a variety of dishes and save him from having to order. Draco flashed her a grateful smile that made her solution seem all the more worthwhile.

xxxxx

Their meal was going quite well, Draco had scoffed at some of the dishes initially, but had ceased complaining immediately upon actually sampling them, a fact which had caused Hermione to burst out laughing and Draco to glare moodily. He got over it however and they soon got into a debate about house elf rights. Draco may have been reconsidering his views on muggles and muggleborns but he was certainly holding fast about house elves. Hermione was enjoying herself however. She loved Harry and Ron dearly, but Draco was intellectually equal to her when it came to academics, and they were having a lively debate indeed. He was both clever and witty when he wasn't being an ass, and Hermione was enjoying herself immensely, as was Draco. He loved watching her when she was passionate about something. Her cheeks became flushed, her eyes bright, and she seemed to become infused with this energy, this passion, that he had never seen in anyone else. She truly was unique, and Draco was having a better time with her than he had had with any of his Slytherin counterparts in a long time. Hermione didn't seem to need alcohol or sex to have a good time. Her jokes weren't always at someone else's expense. She was truly a breath of fresh air.

xxxxx

At long last, their plates were cleared and their bellies full. Hermione studied Draco lolling back in his chair, trying to relieve the pressure in his belly before grinning mischievously and saying,

"You know what they say don't you? There's nothing better to work off a full stomach than ballroom dancing!"

"Is that a muggle saying?" Draco asked sarcastically.

Hermione giggled as she dragged him onto the dance floor and Draco couldn't help smiling in spite of himself.

Once they got to the dance floor however, it was Hermione's turn to be nervous. Now that she had him on the floor, the implications of the situation struck her. Was she really going to waltz with Draco Malfoy? There was something so intimate about a waltz, and she really wasn't the world's best dancer. What if she made a fool of herself?

Strangely enough, their roles reversed. Gently, Draco took her hand and placed it on his shoulder before clasping her other in his and saying gently, "Where's that Gryffindor courage?"

As she stared into his grey eyes, which no longer seemed cold but were now mesmerizing, Hermione squeezed his hand to indicate her resolve. Who was she kidding, she wanted to dance with him badly!

Just like that, they were off, twirling among the other dancers. Hermione found herself having the time of her life. Draco was an excellent dancer, and he made it effortless for her. She abruptly had the urge to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked in confusion.

"Look at us. Who would have thought that you and I would ever find ourselves dancing together—at a muggle restaurant at that!"

Chuckling, Draco replied, "I'm sure stranger things have happened Granger."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "For example?"

After considering, Draco replied. "I take that back. I'm stumped."

At that moment, the maître d' returned from outside where he had been shooing away a cat with markings around its eyes that had been sitting in the window. As the cat ran away, it was very pleased, for McGonagall had observed the happy pair throughout dinner and now as they waltzed happily on the dance floor. They were not only passing their assignment, but exceeding expectations. After all, they only had to learn to get along, and here they were falling in love.

Back inside, the band had just struck up a slow song, and Draco and Hermione had subconsciously relaxed into it. Both his hands had slid around her waist, hers around his neck. As they swayed to the music, both were lost in their own private thoughts, acknowledging how comfortable, how thrilling, how wonderful it felt to be dancing like this.

As soon as the song ended however, they abruptly felt awkward, as though they had just been doing something forbidden, which, in another time, would have been.

"Shall we move on to the next item on the agenda?" Hermione asked somewhat breathlessly.

"Works for me," Draco replied, eager to move past the awkwardness.

"Let's change and reconvene outside." Hermione said, avoiding eye contact.

A few minutes later, Draco, who had finished changing first, saw her come down the steps to greet him, dressed in jeans and a pink sweater, her hair falling around her face in her standard curls, though they were admittedly tamer than usual, still being somewhat under the effects of the product she had used earlier in the evening. She looked like her bookwormy self, though Draco had to admit she still looked pretty. If he was completely honest, she always looked pretty.

Hermione, for her part, thought Draco looked fantastic in black jeans and a black t-shirt. Though part of her felt like laughing—what was with him and black—she had to admit he looked sexy, though she would never admit it to anyone else.

"Now what?" Draco got right down to business. It seemed to him that dinner had been too easy. The part of him that was still mistrustful of the witch before him was making him suspicious. He also felt as though he had let his guard down too much on the dance floor. It was so easy for her to make him knock down his carefully constructed walls. He wasn't used to feeling vulnerable and was nowhere near accustomed to it yet.

"We, my friend, are off to the movie theatre!"

"What's a movie theatre?" Draco asked suspiciously, part of him dissecting whether or not she had employed the "my friend" as merely a saying.

"You know how wizard pictures move?"

"Yes…"

"Well a movie's kind of a muggle version of that!"

"You're telling me I have to spend time looking at a muggle photo album?!"

"No! Just…just wait and see." Hermione said exasperatedly.

Once at the theatre, Hermione dragged Draco to one of the many lineups.

"I thought it might be interesting for you to watch a World War II movie so that you could learn about one of the muggle world's Voldemorts." Hermione informed Draco. She then dragged him to another line, then another, until finally, she lead him into a big room with rows of raised seats all facing a gigantic white rectangle on the wall.

"What is this?" Draco asked confused.

Hermione merely shushed him as the lights suddenly turned out and the rectangle lit up and began talking as images appeared on it.

"What is this strange magic?" Draco whispered urgently.

"It's a movie!" Hermione once again took pity and explained. "Muggle moving pictures are called videos and they make different ones that tell different stories. This one is about a man named Hitler who actually existed, and he was like Voldemort in many ways."

As Draco watched Hitler's treatment of the Jews, he once again looked at muggles in a different light. There were many parallels to be drawn between Hitler and the Jews and Voldemort and muggles and muggleborns. Maybe he, Draco, did have more in common with muggles than he had thought. Maybe they and Hermione could understand him. He was also impressed. Even after everything Hitler put them through, they had persevered. And the allies and the axis powers had moved past the war and learned to get along once more. Glancing at Hermione, he thought, maybe there is hope.

When he wasn't focused on the screen, Draco was painfully aware of the fact that he was sitting in a darkened room, inches away from the amazing witch beside him. The couple making out behind them wasn't helping this distracting train of thought either. Looking at the man and woman sitting in front of them, he saw that they were holding hands. Stopping himself from considering the logic of his actions, he placed his hand palm up on the armrest shared between him and Hermione.

Glancing down at the movement, Hermione's heart began to race. Could the extended palm be an invitation? Inwardly chastising herself, she applied logic as she always did. This was still Draco Malfoy. Despite their pleasant dinner and that dance, he couldn't possibly want to hold her hand. Doing anything would only be setting herself up for disappointment and ridicule. Looking straight ahead at the screen, Hermione tore her thoughts away with difficulty from the attractive man beside her and his inviting hand.

Draco tried not to feel disappointed or stupid at his lolling hand. He told himself that she didn't see it in the dark, or would not have thought that he had placed it there as an invitation. The question was whether or not he should pursue this more bluntly.

Once the movie was over, they departed the theatre in relative silence, finding a secluded area to apparate. Once back at the castle, they bid each other a courteous, albeit not overly warm goodnight, before parting their separate ways, both satisfied and unfulfilled, enlightened and confused, more torn than ever.


	9. Chapter 9

Draco lay on his bed in a daze, reliving the events of the evening over and over. He couldn't get the clever witch out of his mind. He could still feel her warm waist under his hand, her hair tickling his chin as they swayed to the music. Never before had Draco felt as alive as when he had been with her. He craved more. He, Draco Malfoy, craved Hermione Granger's company. Hermione. Maybe it was about time that he started calling her that he thought dreamily. He frowned. Maybe then, he might have a chance. The situation in the movie theatre flitted through his mind. Heaving a great sigh, he rolled over and tried to sleep.

Hermione rolled out of the bed the next morning feeling slightly disoriented. When she caught sight of the discarded dress hanging over the back of her chair where she'd hastily put it the night before in her desire to get to bed, it all came rushing back. Dinner…dancing…the movie….ohhh. Her face felt distinctly hot at the way she and Draco had been the night before…there was no doubt about it, they had both been flirtatious. What could this all mean? Her incredibly logical mind wouldn't allow her to accept the only viable explanation—that she, Hermione Granger, and he, Draco Malfoy, were falling for one another. With a start, she realized that her first class of the day was Adjustments. She didn't know how she felt about that. But school was school, and she was ever the bookworm, so she dutifully packed her bag and headed down to grab a bite of breakfast.

Being as late as she was, Hermione only had time to grab a couple of pieces of toast and eat them on the way to class. All of her friends had already eaten and gone so she was saved from having to talk about her evening with them, something for which she was incredibly grateful. She was so lost in thought that it took her a moment to process the sight that beheld her when she got to class. When she did however, she stopped short, in disbelief at what she was seeing.

Ginny and Pansy were standing at the front of the class, poring over a sheaf of parchment….cordially. They were actually getting along! Sitting resignedly in her seat next to Draco, she glanced at him apprehensively, deciding to gage her mood from his.

"Morning Sleepyhead!" he said fairly cheerfully.

The butterflies in her stomach that always seemed to present themselves when she found herself in his presence fluttered as she saw that she hadn't imagined the night before and that he was continuing to be friendly to her.

"Good morning," she smiled shyly.

"So, I survived," he laughed.

Hesitating momentarily, she found her courage and answered, "I knew you could do it."

Draco's stomach fluttered at her words. He tried not to let his hope soar, he was so accustomed to disappointment that he had learned to be presently surprised when things worked out instead of devastated when they didn't. Neither of them said anything after that, preferring to just sit comfortably in each other's company.

McGonagall soon called the class to attention, announcing that Ginny and Pansy had something to share with the class.

"As our project for this class, Weaslette and—" Pansy was interrupted by Professor McGonagall clearing her throat pointedly.

"Ginny," Pansy bit out through gritted teeth, "and I will be planning a (she cast a glance at Professor McGonagall) ….little get together for all of us."

"It will be this coming Friday in the room of requirement." Ginny continued. "Dress fun, and please do attend—I promise it will be a blast!" She grinned, looking distinctly excited. She and Pansy actually shared a small smile.

"Now," Professor McGonagall began, "I want to make it very clear that you are all to be on your best behavior. School rules still apply to this party, and anyone participating in something against the rules will be punished accordingly. Do I make myself clear?"

"Of course Professor," Ginny replied innocently. When McGonagall turned her head however, Ginny slyly showed Hermione her hand, fingers crossed.

Hermione gulped. She had found and destroyed horcruxes, fought hordes of death eaters, yet was terrified at the notion of playing truth or dare or spin the bottle or some other such game. To makes matters worse, there was sure to be some magical spin on the game. She threw a sideways glance at Draco. What if she was forced to reveal her quickly-developing feelings?

xxxxx

Friday came quickly. Before he knew it, Draco found himself heading to the room of requirement, a battle raging in his head. If the opportunity presented itself, would he take it? He very much wanted to, but was unsure not only of Hermione's reaction, but also of his classmates. He didn't think that Potty and Weasel would be too pleased to find their counterpart romantically involved with him, nor was he sure that his fellow Slytherins would be too happy. While some of them were getting along fairly well with their partner, being friendly was a lot different than dating. Draco wasn't sure that he could do it. By this point, he had reached the room. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, Draco pushed open the door that had materialized and entered, unsure of what to expect.

He was momentarily taken aback by what he saw. Pansy and the Weaslette had outdone themselves. The majority of the room, which was quite large for the occasion, seemed to be club-style. The floors were a sparkling black, and there was a bar at which many of the seventh years seemed to be hanging out. There was a dance floor, and pulsating music that seemed to be coming from nowhere. Different coloured fairies flitted around, providing some fun light, as well as streamers and candles that floated through the air of their own accord, creating a very cool effect. There were chairs, couches and tables stationed strategically around the area. Turning around, Draco saw that in the far corner there was a little area with a completely different style and mood. The area was lit up, and had several comfy couches placed to form a circle. There was also a fireplace which crackled merrily. Looking more closely, Draco saw several boxes of butterbeer, flasks of firewhisky, and a flask which contained a clear liquid, Draco recognized it as Veritaserum. Gulping, he realized that there would indeed be party games being played tonight. Normally he was the one initiating these games, but not tonight, not with what was happening between himself and Hermione, whatever it was.

Upon this realization, Draco decided that he needed a drink. Heading over to the bar, he considered the menu for a moment before deciding to begin with a shot of firewhisky. Instantly, a shot appeared on the bar in front of him. Catching Blaise's eye, he grinned and mouthed, "I could get used to this."

Blaise returned the smile, before returning to the conversation he had been having with Harry.

"Well, if we play any games, I certainly hope they don't divide us into our partners. There's no way in hell I'm doing any lip lockingj with you Zabini!"

"You don't know what you're missing Potter," Blaise joked.

"Not much I'm sure," Harry smirked. "Oh hey babe!" he said, his face breaking into a wide smile as Ginny leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Amazing job you guys have done!" he raved to her and Pansy, who had appeared at Ginny's side.

"Yes, quite a bash ladies," Blaise said as sincerely as a Slytherin could.

To everyone's surprise, possibly even her own, Pansy responded by saying, "The floor and floating streamers and candles were Ginny's idea—it's totally what completed the look!"

"Well you're the one who came up with using the room's charm to have the serve-yourself bar!" Ginny exclaimed.

Harry and Blaise's jaws could not have dropped any more than they had.

"Oh stop catching flies and come dance!" Ginny snapped exasperatedly at her boyfriend.

"They're not so bad are they?" Pansy asked Blaise reluctantly, observing the happy Gryffindor pair.

"Not at all," Blaise replied. "I wonder how Drake is doing with Granger though. I would normally say that I don't think that one has a hope in hell, but then again, I just saw you voluntarily compliment Ginny Weasley so who knows."

Pansy growled at him.

"There you go, I was starting to worry that you'd lost all of your Slytheriness."

"Shut up Zabini, I'm warning you!"

xxxxx

Pansy and Ginny weren't the only ones getting along. Draco had finally found Hermione, who was talking to Dean Thomas. Draco had felt a rush of jealousy, and had engaged her the soonest chance he got. They were now once again engaged in a heated debate, this time about the OWL marking system. Draco believed they should be abolished. Hermione was defending the examination system extraordinarily passionately. Thankfully, (for everyone else,) Pansy soon interrupted to inform the room that the 'fun' part of the party would begin shortly. Avoiding each other's eye contact, they dutifully joined their classmates in forming a circle in the fireplace section of the room. It was time. It was now or never, good or bad.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I always loved a good truth or dare fic, so I've basically created one here that furthers the story. :P This one is mainly from Draco's pov. Hope you like it!

"We will begin with Spin the Bottle to warm everyone up I think," said Pansy, "as that tends to get less personal than the others. Don't worry though, Truth or Dare will be next!" She proclaimed with relish.

That said, she produced a firewhisky bottle. "Thanks to the Slytherins for polishing this baby off!" Ginny called out, causing a bout of laughter from the group.

"The rules are simple," Pansy ploughed on. "We will go clockwise, until each person has had a turn so that everyone gets to engage in liplock (she winked.) You have to give it a legitimate spin, no intervention in who it lands on. NO MAGIC! You kiss who you get, boy or girl, and the kiss must be a minimum of ten seconds. Game on!"

She spun the bottle, staring with furious concentration and excitement as it whirled around and around. Draco watched it with apprehension. It was no secret that Pansy would love nothing more than to give him a good snog and never let go—the girl was merciless and determined. She had been latched on to Draco since they first came to Hogwarts. At one time, her attention was okay. It was nice to be appreciated and wanted, but Pansy wasn't worth much else. She was incredibly annoying and Draco had quickly grown bored with her. Spending time with Pansy didn't hold a candle to his evening with Hermione….Draco quickly gave himself an inner shake as screams reverberated around the room—the bottle had stopped spinning.

"Ron Weasley!" Pansy shrieked. Casting a glance at Ginny, Pansy sighed, stood up, and waited impatiently in the center of the circle until Ron lumbered over, looking slightly green. Draco almost felt bad for the Weasel. Seemingly determined to get the incident over with, Pansy reached up, tugged Ron down roughly and began kissing him. As soon as someone called out "Time," she pushed him away harshly and returned to her seat looking decidedly pouty. Draco heard her grumble, "What a wasted turn!" to Daphne. Interestingly, Daphne only glared at her coldly before shooting a quick glance at the Weasel, cheeks flaming. Hmm….maybe Daphne understood Draco better than he had originally thought.

It seemed as though the game dragged on and on to Draco—the bottle didn't land once on him. Blaise had to kiss Luna Lovegood which was kind of funny, though while Draco thought that the girl was incredibly strange, he also thought that things could have been worse for Blaise. Draco could have sworn that Potter used magic, what were the odds that the bottle honestly landed on the Weaslette without tampering? He felt slightly mollified when the Weaslette's spin landed on Blaise, though he was surprised when his friend seemed slightly apologetic as he kissed Ginny fairly conservatively. There were catcalls when a Hufflepuff girl had to kiss a Ravenclaw girl….and then it was Hermione's turn. Draco didn't tear his gaze off the bottle as she spun it, nor throughout the duration of its spin…where it landed on Neville Longbottom. The room grew fairly quiet, this was an interesting turn of events, no one knew quite how to react. A blushing Hermione met an incredibly nervous and remorseful looking Neville, the boy seemed to feel bad about making her kiss him. Hermione smiled at him kindly and whispered something softly to him that made him relax. Smiling at him, she leaned up on her tiptoes and began kissing him softly. The two were fairly conservative as well, but they were certainly kissing for the ten seconds. Draco felt the jealousy flair in his stomach and grumble indignantly. He wanted to be up there in Neville's place! When their time was up, the two broke apart and shared a friendly glance, both of them red in the face. This seemed to make the tension in the room dissipate for all but Draco, who sat there glowering until his turn.

To his utter dismay, his bottle landed on a Ravenclaw boy. The room grew deathly quiet, wondering how Draco would react. The boy looked utterly terrified, and didn't get up, as though waiting to gage Draco's reaction. Draco spotted Hermione watching him and knew instinctively that she would want him to be a good sport and get it over with. Taking a deep breath, he did something unprecedented for him. He got up, stood in the center of the circle and waited for the boy to meet him. The boy came up cautiously, as though expecting Draco to hex him at any moment. But Draco merely leaned in and gave him a stationary kiss without any monkey business that he dutifully held until the time was up. As soon as he heard the call, he broke away, wiped his mouth off and returned to his seat at lightning speed. He caught Hermione's eye and was thrilled when she shot him an approving nod accompanied by a radiant smile.

The game ended with Blaise getting picked again, this time by Daphne Greengrass. When Daphne looked unaffected, Draco's suspicions were cemented. She had had a humongous crush on Blaise for the past several years and would have jumped at the chance to get to snog him for any length of time.

With Daphne's turn finished, they were back at Pansy, who seemed to have gotten over her sourness at her turn because she screeched ecstatically, "There you have it folks, now it's time for Truth or Dare!"

Laughing in her cackling way, she grabbed the vial of Veritasserum and leaned over to consult about something with Ginny. Draco seized this as an opportunity to shoot a glance at Hermione, who was looking incredibly nervous, mirroring Draco's own feelings. What if he was asked something that caused him to expose his feelings for her? How would his friends react? How would she react?

He was saved from his fretting by Ginny clearing her throat. "We have decided that, in order to make things fair and more interesting," she waggled her eyebrows to be humorous, but really, she terrified the already nervous Draco, "we will create an impartial judge who will decide who you will be questioning or daring. I'll kick off this game."

Flicking her wand at the bottle, it glowed gold for a moment before spinning once more. When it stopped, it was pointing at Neville. Draco could have sworn that Ginny's shoulders sagged momentarily in disappointment.

"Neville, truth or dare?"

"Truth!" Neville said hurriedly, almost cutting her off. Everyone laughed, though they all understood. No one ever wanted to be the first to pick dare.

Ginny looked decidedly disappointed now. Draco heard Weasel whisper to Potty, "Smart bloke. Ginny picks the most evil dares, trust me."

Pansy handed Longbottom the Veritasserum saying, "A drop should do."

"Well, we'll start with elemental questions I guess. Who do you like?"

"Luna," Neville replied as though the answer had been ripped from him. The Veritasserum made him answer without question. He turned a deep shade of red and avoided all eye contact. Draco felt the knot in his stomach loosen at his confession however, as the memory of Longbottom kissing Hermione took on a different tone.

Clearly waning to divert attention from himself, Neville spun the bottle, which landed on Seamus. "Seamus, truth or dare?"

"Dare!" Seamus proclaimed cockily.

Neville thought for a moment before laying out the dare thoughtfully.

"I dare you to let the girls give you a makeover which you have to model for us….in lingerie." Neville looked quite pleased with himself, while everyone else looked shocked.

"Where did you get an idea like that?" Parvati asked in surprise.

Neville shrugged. "Oh, you'll be needing these now won't you?" He asked Seamus, innocently, handing him the blood-red, lacy bra and panties the room had just conjured.

"Very Gryffindor," Seamus said weakly, as he was lead off to the room divider that had magically appeared by a bunch of eager, giggling girls. Draco was relieved to see that Hermione wasn't among them. He was tired of the material girls.

A few minutes later, Seamus strutted out, (rather bravely, Draco had to hand it to him,) donning the lingerie, face caked in makeup, bows in his hair. He struck a pose, blew kisses…and rushed off to put on a few more layers.

When he returned, he gave the bottle a hearty spin. It landed on Pansy. Seamus couldn't restrain himself from grinning rather evilly. "Truth or dare Parkinson?"

"Dare." Pansy tossed her hair indifferently. Seeing the expression on Seamus's face, Draco was once again struck by Pansy's incredible stupidity.

"I dare you to…." Seamus looked like he was making a once in a lifetime decision. "Hmm…I dare you to…give every Gryffindor boy a lap dance! Adjustments right?"

Everyone laughed. Everyone except for the Gryffindor boys that is, who were looking angrily at Seamus, and Pansy, who was looking absolutely murderous.

After she had dutifully performed her dare and the boys had had time to recover, she spun the bottle which, to his great dismay, landed on Draco. This was it, the moment he had been dreading. Refusing to do a dare prescribed by Pansy, which would most certainly involve kissing her, Draco chose truth, forcing his voice to sound bored. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione watching the events unfolding closely.

When the Veritasserum was handed to him, Draco took a drop with a huge sense of dread, waiting for the shoe to drop.

"Tell us Drakey, who do you like and why?"Pansy simpered smugly, as though waiting for him to shower praise on her.

Oh no! Draco thought, but it was no use. As he panicked inwardly, outwardly, he was pouring out his feelings in a flat, monotonous voice.

"I like Hermione Granger."(There were gasps all around the room and a screech of indignation from Pansy.) Draco continued relentlessly over them, the potion forcing the words from his mouth. "I like her because she's real. She's confident, we have interesting conversations, she's funny, kind, and genuinely cares about me. I don't deserve anything from her after all I've done, but she treats me like I'm a good person, like a friend."

Silence followed his confession. Hermione's face was glazed over in shock, jaw dropped, eyes wide, but inside she was soaring with joy. Draco liked her. It hadn't all been in her head. He didn't think he deserved her! She couldn't wait to tell him that she returned his feelings. She bit her lip trying to contain her excitement.

As Draco regained control of what came out of his mouth, all he wanted to do was scream. He felt utterly mortified and worried as he looked around at the disgust on some of his fellow Slytherins faces. He might have been able to handle that if he had been able to get Hermione's support, but as he looked at her, all that he could see was utter disgust. Her eyes were wide and her jaw dropped. As he watched her, she began biting her lip as though wanting to scream herself. That tipped him over the edge.

"But don't worry!" he snapped, anger and embarrassment making his voce biting. "I can't control my feelings but I can control my actions. And I wouldn't touch a mudblood with a ten foot wand. I would never date her."

Getting up, he stalked out of the room, on one of the few occasions in his life where he had to force himself not to cry.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it! A lot happens :) Couldn't resist the Half-blood Prince (movie) reference later in the chapter, haha.

Hermione felt faint from shock. No, scratch that, she couldn't feel faint because she was absolutely numb. One moment she had felt as though she was soaring—Draco liked her, he felt as though he didn't deserve her. Happy images of them dating—talking, laughing…kissing...danced before her eyes, the memories of their wonderful evening still fresh in her mind. In the next instant, reality hit her cold and hard as Draco snarled at the onlookers and hurled insults at her. The word 'mudblood' was seared in her mind and heat flooded her face as she was acutely aware of all of her peers witnessing her embarrassment and heartbreak.

She felt as though she was an observer watching the scene unfold around her as though from a distance. She heard Ginny screaming at Malfoy's retreating figure, saw Harry and Ron jump to their feet and chase after him, drawing their wands. She knew that with their tempers and loyalty they would try to inflict serious damage and she couldn't have that. Partly because it would give them a bad mark in Adjustments (she was Hermione Granger!) but also because she didn't want Draco hurt. Not that way anyway. Even though he had inflicted excruciating pain to her heart of hearts, she still cared. She now knew what he was capable of, both at his best and at his worst, and she believed that he was capable of redemption. No. He was hers to deal with. Lurching to her feet, she ignored the concerned voices around her and shook off the consoling hands. She too drew her wand as she ran out of the room of requirement and after the three boys she cared most about to stop them from dueling.

xxxxx

As Harry and Ron drew level with Draco, Ron pointed his wand to curse him, but was stopped by Harry pushing his hand out of the way, causing his curse to deflect and shatter a window.

"What the bloody—" Ron began, glancing angrily at his best mate. He fell silent however when he saw what Draco had exposed when he had turned to face them. His pale face was streaked with tears. This slowed Ron down momentarily until he remembered the grief etched on Hermione's face after Draco's cruel words. This boy had caused much of the pain in Ron's life, and he had now more than crossed the line. Lunging at Malfoy, he landed a well-placed right hook, causing Malfoy to stagger back, a bruise already blooming on his cheek. Ron jumped back, ready to defend himself both magically and physically. Yet to his surprise, there was no retaliation.

"How dare you," Harry demanded Malfoy, fury making his voice shake. "After all she's done for you, all the chances she's given you, how could you?"

Draco finally said something. "Don't you see that this was for her own good?" his voice gave the distinct impression of belonging to someone who was broken.

Harry's infamous temper finally got the best of him. "HOW THE HELL COULD WHAT YOU DID BE FOR HER OWN GOOD?" He bellowed.

"How would it serve her well to be with someone like me? To be mocked and despised by the other Slytherins?" Draco retorted.

Harry seemed to pause and size Malfoy up before responding in a surprisingly quiet, almost disappointed voice. "You're right Malfoy, you don't deserve her, and you aren't good for her. But not for the reasons you think, but because you're a coward. Those reasons aren't for Hermione's own good but for yours."

Shaking his head, he dragged away a bloodthirsty Ron from a shocked Draco.

"Gerrofme! I want to make him pay!" Ron snarled.

Harry was stopped from responding when a new voice joined the cacophony.

"Potter! Wait up!" Blaise Zabini called out.

"What do you want Zabini?" Harry asked coldly.

Blaise looked taken aback at the hostility.

"I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help," he said meekly.

"I think we've had enough of Slytherins for a very long time," Harry snarled. "Are you just setting me up to humiliate and hurt me?"

Blaise immediately went on the offensive. "You Gryffindors, with your supposed goodness and chivalry are really just a bunch of hypocrites who are quick to stereotype and slow to forgive. What have I ever done to you? What do you think is making Draco reluctant to confront his feelings for Granger? Slytherins aren't the only ones not changing you know." Tapping the side of his head, Blaise stalked off saying "Think."

xxxxx

Draco retreated toward his room, Potter's words playing over and over in his mind. Suddenly, he felt sharp pain on his neck and back of his head to go hand and hand with the throbbing of his jaw. Raising his wand, he whirled around to come face to face with Hermione, who was busily conjuring more yellow birds to attack him once more.

"What the Hell?" Draco gasped out.

"Don't worry, you're not special. I've used this attack before!" Hermione said, tears leaking out of her eyes. "You bloody ass!" she sobbed, finally breaking down. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing the pain he had caused her, she hurriedly turned away, shoulders heaving. To her shock, she felt warm arms envelop her and his head on her shoulder as he murmured desperately,

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Don't you see this is for the best? I can't do this to you!"

Whirling around, Hermione stated, "No, I don't see. I should have some say as well. I'm not some weak little girl. I've lived through more Hell just last year than many of our classmates have in their entire life. I've put up with you Slytherins trying to make my life miserable my entire time at Hogwarts. I don't think this is for the best and I'm ready and willing to face the consequences, because I think that you, Draco Malfoy, are worth it!" She once again turned away from him at the end of her rant, this time to hide the blush that coloured her cheeks due to her proclamation. Draco had had enough. Spinning her around, he leaned in and kissed her.

He had kissed many girls in his life, more than he cared to admit. He had in fact done more than that on more than one occasion. But none of those numerous encounters held a candle to this, because this was a real kiss. This kiss meant something. They kissed softly but tenderly, simply wanting to revel in being in each other's arms.

Until very recently, if someone had told Hermione that she would one day be kissing Draco Malfoy, she would have signed them into St. Mungo's. But now, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. She had never experienced anything so amazing. She could have kissed him for hours.

As he kissed her, Draco thought about nothing but the feel of her in his arms, of her soft lips moving against his own, her wild hair tangled in his fingers, her unique scent. He didn't think about blood purity, or his heritage, or his judgmental classmates. As soon as they finally broke apart however, reality hit him hard.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but I just can't do this. I care for you too much—"

"No!" Hermione interjected. "You don't care for me enough. I was ready to risk my neck and my reputation. Do you think my friends would have looked any more kindly on me dating you after all the cruel things you've done to them over the years? I was willing to put up with that though. But this, I refuse to put up with however," she said, gesturing at Draco. "You say that it's for my own good, but really you're just too scared to put your reputation on the line. I can't keep doing this, having you love me in private and then feed me to the dogs in public. It hurts too much, and quite frankly, I have too much self-respect for that. So you know what? I'M ending whatever this is."

Her voice broke at the end, but she determinedly turned with her head high and walked away, leaving a confused and hurting Draco to watch the one girl he'd ever truly cared about and who had ever genuinely cared for him to slip through his fingers. He didn't know if this pain could be adjusted to.


	12. Chapter 12

Draco sat staring at the fire in the Slytherin common room. All of the younger students had retired for the night, and the other older Slytherins were still at the party from Hell in the Room of Requirement leaving Draco mercifully alone. His self-contempt was extreme. Why was it that he had to push away anyone or anything that might actually care for him? Hermione had given him more chances than he could count, more chances than he certainly deserved, and he had once again treated her like crap. This time, he had finally blown it, and he felt agonized over that fact. He truly was a self-fulfilling prophecy. He believed that he was undeserving, he believed that no one could love him, so he made it so.

It was in that instant that Blaise entered the common room, having returned from his angry solitary walk he had taken after his angry exchange with Harry.

"Draco—"

"Zabini, don't." Draco cut him off with a snarl. Draco's wrath was such that even Blaise heeded his advice, and he stalked off to their quarters.

Squaring his shoulders, he returned to staring at the fire, wishing more than anything that he had a pensieve into which he could syphon off his thoughts so as to escape the roaring turmoil in his head.

Another Slytherin entered the common room, this one more quietly and thoughtfully. Daphne sat next to Draco and said nothing for several moments. Whether because he was too lost in his thoughts or because he sensed that she would not chastise him the way Blaise would have, Draco allowed her to sit next to him without complaint. Eventually however, Daphne did speak.

"So, you like Hermione." Daphne said softly.

"Shove off Greengrass!" Draco snarled in his defensive way. "Don't lecture, don't judge, don't patronize. You have no idea what I'm going through, you wouldn't understand, so leave me the hell alone."

In her quiet yet strong way, Daphne held her ground, replying, "I know what you're going through more than you think, Draco."

Such was his surprise at her admission that he finally turned and faced her.

"You do like Weasley, don't you."

"Yes," Daphne replied sadly. "I do."

"Why don't you do anything about it then? It seems as though he might reciprocate your feelings."

"Hermione certainly returns your feelings, and yet here you are with me instead of her!"

Sighing, Draco turned and said to the fire, "It's not the same."

"Like Hell it isn't! Or at least wasn't, you certainly have managed to make things more complicated."

"Shove off!"

"No!" Daphne cried. Her raised voice shocked Draco into silence. Though she was Slytherin, Daphne was a fairly quiet good natured girl. She tended to observe the Slytherin cruelty, not participate in it.

"That's enough self-pity!" She continued. "You've complicated things, but I think that you still have a good chance if you'd just grow up a bit and not shy away when things become difficult. Granger's a Gryffindor, if you apologize the right way she just might forgive you."

Draco hated to admit it, but, "You're right." He sighed. "Tell you what Greengrass, I'll make you a bargain."

Daphne regarded him through narrowed eyes. She was no fool, Draco tended not to be the trustworthy type.

"I want to hear this bargain before I agree to it."

"It's quiet simple really. I'll man-up and talk to Granger if you confess your feelings to the Weasel."

"No. Absolutely not."

"Practice what you preach."

"….fine."

xxxxx

Second period the following morning found Hermione heading to Adjustments class accompanied by a seething Ron, a quiet Harry, an apologetic Ginny, and a nervous stomach. Ginny had apologized profusely to Hermione when she had gotten back to their dorm and found Hermione curled up in the fetal position on her bed, staring blankly at the wall. Though Hermione had told Ginny over and over that it was absolutely not her fault, Ginny had insisted that it had been her idea to host the party, and she therefore was partly to blame for what had transpired between Hermione and Draco. Hermione had decided not to disclose all that had transpired between her and Draco to her friends. It was easier for them to think that the reason that Hermione and Draco weren't talking was because of Draco's terrible words at the party instead of because of Hermione's rejection in a moonlit corridor. It was the coward's way out, but she thought bitterly to herself that she was entitled to some cowardly behavior given how Draco had behaved throughout this mess.

It was interesting to see how the events of the previous evening had affected the entire class. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were as friendly as ever to one another albeit in muted tones—even the Hufflepuffs could sense the tension radiating from the Slytherins and Gryffindors and did not want to chance catalysing another fight. The tension between Harry and Blaise was evident, it seemed to roll off them both in waves, Hermione half expected one of them to spit fire. They were both resolutely staring ahead at the empty chalkboard, not daring to even chance making eye contact. Pansy and Ginny seemed to have fallen back into their loathing for one another. Unbeknownst to Hermione, after she had left the party, Pansy and Ginny had had a terrible row, each one defending Draco and Hermione respectively. Hermione made a mental note to herself to ask Ginny what had happened later. Ron and Daphne were an interesting pair to watch. Ron was completely ignoring Daphne, though Hermione knew from experience that it was nothing personal per say, Ron simply had an incredible gift for pouting and was being rude to everyone at the moment, particularly Slytherins. His silence seemed to be upsetting Daphne more than one would expect however, she kept shooting him alternately sad and nervous looks, seeming as though she had something she wanted to say but did not dare breach his heavy silence. Strangely enough, she also seemed to be sending annoyed glances at….Draco.

Hermione gulped. He had slid into his seat next to hers tentatively a few moments ago, and Hermione had not dared look at him. The pain she felt at the knowledge of his presence next to hers was bad enough. She could hear him breathing softly, feel his warmth next to hers, and it pained her. She wanted to turn to him, to make him laugh, to kiss him….and she couldn't. The fact that it was because of her own decision that she couldn't do any of those things made it even more difficult. At that thought, she gave herself a mental shake. No! It was HIS fault that she couldn't do any of those things. He was the one who couldn't put pride and tradition aside to be with her, and she would not stand for that. It took all of her dignity and self-respect to convince herself to avoid temptation.

"Hermione."

Damn! Now she was even imagining that he was talking to her. Then, more urgently,

"Hermione!"

When Hermione finally turned to him, she looked exhausted and incredibly trepid.

"What is it Draco?"

Draco's heart leapt at her use of his first name.

"About last night, I—"

"Please don't." she cut him off. This is already hard enough. Please don't make it harder. With that, she turned and engaged Harry in conversation, causing jealousy to swell in the pit of Draco's stomach.

Fortunately, he didn't have to watch her with Potter for long as McGonagall called the class to order. As usual, she wasted no time in getting right down to business.

"Though there is no exam in this class, there is a major assignment that will be used to assess your personal growth in this class. Each of you will have to stand at the front of this class and confess to an embarrassing or personal fact or story. You have to expose yourself to your classmates, to trust. The Ministry is so determined for this class to be a success that they are insisting on strong incentive for this project. If I or the ministry official who will be proctoring this project feel that you are not being truthful, Veritasserum will be used. Please do not force me to subject you to it."

Draco shuddered and tried to ignore the furtive glances his peers were shooting at him. Daphne did catch his eye however, and it was then that they got the same idea. Casting a glance at Hermione, Draco smiled to himself. It wouldn't be easy, but Draco knew what he would be talking about for this project.


	13. Chapter 13

Hermione sat surrounded by crumpled sheets of paper in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. Even though it was very late and she was beyond exhausted, she was determined to go to bed only after she had completed her Adjustments assignment, or at the very least, chosen her confession. She knew that she was being irrational, the project wasn't due for another week after all, but she instinctively knew that she would feel better about everything that had happened once she had done this. It would offer some closure. Heaving a great sigh, she glanced down at her latest idea. "I have an indomitable fear of flying." Everyone knew that though, it had been apparent since first year. "Because it is something that I couldn't master the first time I tried it," she added. Better, it was now somewhat vulnerable, but she was sure it still wasn't personal enough. This sheaf of parchment joined the ever-growing mountain on the floor.

Hermione stared at the fresh sheet of parchment she had pulled out as though begging it for inspiration. Staring around the room desperately, her eyes fell on the piece she had just tossed. "Somewhat vulnerable." What was she most vulnerable about? Draco's face flashed across her mind, making her bruised heart ache even more. Dipping her quill into her inkpot, she slowly wrote, "I fell in love with a Slytherin. Unfortunately, he turned out to be an ass." She knew however, that a statement like that would never fly under McGonagall's stern gaze, nor was it really the point of the assignment. Suddenly, she heard Hagrid's gruff voice echo in her head.

"And if anyone is up to that challenge, it's you. You're the brightest witch of your age, and the most kind-hearted person I know. Surely Draco doesn't want to be the way he is anymore after last year. He's probably too scared or ashamed to let his guard down, or maybe he just doesn't know how to be kind. How could he, after being raised by a family like that? But if there's anyone up to the task of rescuing him, it's you Hermione."

Biting her lip, Hermione finally admitted something to herself—she had in fact learned quite a lot in Adjustments. Not just about Draco, but about herself as well. About all of the Gryffindors in fact. No wonder she and Draco hadn't worked out—a relationship needed honesty, from both sides. Having come to this realization, Hermione began to write. And the more she wrote, the more the knot in her stomach lessened.

This class hasn't always been easy. Far from it in fact. It certainly has been instrumental however, in teaching me about my classmates, as well as about myself. What I learned about myself is this: I am guilty, as are my housemates. Guilty of exactly the thing that we accuse the other houses of doing. We are judgmental. Throughout the course of this course, I formed an unlikely friendship, with the person I thought myself least likely to ever be civil to, let alone become friends with…or maybe even more. The reason for my skepticism does have a fair foundation, after all, we have been enemies through school and I have been subjected to quite a lot of bullying from him. However, part of it is my fault as well. The thing is, I didn't think him capable of changing, even when it began happening before my very eyes. I thought it was a plot or a trick, because I let my own bias and prejudice cloud my judgement. And when he did mess up, when he wasn't strong enough to stand up to peer pressure or his prejudice, I became angry at his weakness instead of looking at his strength and how far he has come. So I am just as guilty as him if not more so, because I couldn't even admit my faults due to not even being able to see beyond his. 

As Hermione set down her quill and reread the words describing the revelation she had just come to, she felt as though the weight of the world had just been lifted from her shoulders. Now the only question remaining was whether or not she was going to be able to dredge up enough of her Gryffindor courage to share this confession with her classmates.

xxxxx

A week later found the abnormally large group of seventh years sitting anxiously in McGonagall's class, silent as the grave. They were all secretly scared out of their wits. Draco reckoned that the news of the return of the Dark Lord would scare them less than what they were about to do. He caught Daphne's eye and nodded resolutely at her, jaw squared. Though she looked slightly green, she gave him a quick, determined nod back. Her resolve seemed to falter however when, upon McGonagall's imperious entrance, she informed the class that she would perform a charm which would randomly select who would share their confession first. With a a rather elaborate twirl of her wand, she produced a ball of pale blue light which jumped from student to student until it landed on Daphne's shoulder.

"Well Greengrass, you're up!"

Daphne looked about ready to lose her lunch. Draco cleared his throat pointedly, which caused Daphne to start before she clumsily got out of her seat and walked shakily to the front of the class where she turned to face her peers. Several of them cast her pitying looks, as though silently thanking her for sparing them the experience of going first.

"Uh, yes…right, well uh…my confession is that…um…IhaveacrushonRonWeasley."

"What was that?" McGonagall asked sharply. "The point of this exercise is that you confess something to us. That means that we have to be able to understand you, Greengrass!"

Daphne turned a brilliant shade of pink as she repeated more slowly, "I have a crush on Ron Weasley." Upon saying this, she hid her face in her hands. Draco felt quite sorry for her, until he remembered what he would be saying on his turn. This made him feel that Daphne really didn't have it so bad after all.

Hermione and Harry caught each other's eye as they both turned to glance at Ron, who was sitting slack jawed in apparent disbelief as he looked at the Slytherin girl who had just confessed to having feelings for him.

"You like me!" he finally exclaimed croakily.

"Yes…" Daphne said cautiously. She and the rest of the class seemed to be waiting with bated breath for how Ron would react next. Hermione was very nervous for Daphne. Ronald seemed to have missed developing a filter somewhere along the way.

"That's amazing!" Daphne's face broke into a grin upon his words.

"…it's too bad you're a Slytherin though and I wouldn't trust you farther than I could banish you!" Ron finished, face contorting into a frown. Daphne looked as though the life had drained from her. Hermione wanted to curse Ron. Or hit him. Or both.

"Um Professor," she called out. The whole class stopped their hushed murmurings as they looked at Hermione expectantly. Her rows with Ron were legendary after all. Ignoring them, she continued. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to go next."

McGonagall gave her a brusque nod, though Hermione could have sworn that she saw a knowing smile flash across her favourite professor's face.

Hermione gave her presentation just as she had rehearsed it, though she deliberately avoided looking at Draco and made a point of flashing several pointed glances at Ron, who to her relief, reached out to tap Daphne's shoulder and whispered something to her that didn't seem to upset her at the end of Hermione's presentation. He looked quite sheepish, which Hermione took as a good sign.

The rest of the class was absolutely silent at the end of the presentation, several of them, including Harry, seemed deep in thought. Pansy and Ginny, she noted, were doing everything they could to avoid eye contact, which Hermione didn't know how to interpret. She was dying to cast a glance at Draco to see what he thought of her words, but didn't know if she could handle laying eyes on him at the moment. She got somewhat of an answer however, when McGonagall said, "Yes Malfoy?" and Draco replied, "I'd like to present now please." Hermione dutifully returned to her seat with trepidation that only increased when Draco brushed by her on his way to the front. What was he going to say? Would it hurt her more?


	14. Chapter 14

Draco stood sifting through various moments in his life. When he had received his dark mark. When the Dark Lord had been to his house. When he had stood with his wand pointed at Dumbledore, trying to find enough darkness within to say the words that would make him a murderer. In many ways, this situation felt as though its stakes were just as high, For as he shot a furtive glance at Hermione, and thought about what he was going to confess in moments, it seemed to Draco that he had never wanted something as much as he wanted this.

"Whenever you're ready, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall barked out. Was it Draco's imagination, or did she look at him sympathetically?

Wiping his suddenly sweaty palms on his robes, Draco took a steadying breath and began, holding Hermione's gaze the entire time.

"I spent a long time thinking about how to proceed with this confession. Thanks to a certain party (here he paused to pierce his classmates with a pointed look) I can't merely state who I like. I can't simply apologise either, you are also probably all aware of how I utterly blew the entire situation. What I can do, however is explain, as it will force me to delve into things that I'd rather not. I only hope that it will be enough...on more than one level. Complete silence ensured as Draco paused to gauge how Hermione was receiving his presentation. He held the entire class's rapt attention.

As you all well know, my family never upheld the most moralistic ideals. I was raised to believe that I was of the utmost lineage and class, raised to think that I was superior to everyone...especially muggleborns and blood traitors. While my parents loved me and each other, they never showed it, in fact, I was treated to the opposite. Nothing I ever did was ever good enough. Coming second in the class was a failure, especially when the first place was earned by a muggleborn. How dare I not make the Quidditch team first year when Saint Potter did? No offense, Harry, he added to chuckles and titters from his classmates. I was raised being taught that kindness and the showing of emotion was weakness. Only dominance and power was acceptable. I know that this in no way excuses my actions, given how terrible they were, but I hope this may explain why I was the way that I was, (I speak in the past-tense for I hope to no longer be that way,) and why I acted out...when I fell head over heels for a muggleborn. Some of you may be asking yourselves "Why should these things matter to him anymore? The Dark Lord has fallen, his parents are in Azkaban, who is there to judge him, or to punish him if he no longer complies with these twisted ideals?" Well, I urge you to stop and think about yourselves, and how much the war changed your perceptions of others. Does not the fact that we are all sitting in this Adjustments class indicate that there is still work to be done all around? As someone just so eloquently put it, we all have our prejudices, which is why I still behaved the way I did-I still felt under attack, as though I needed a defence mechanism. It was instinct. I say this not to make excuses for my behaviour, but to share something that I have learned over the course of these past few tumultuous years-nothing is black and white, but varying shades of grey.

Having finished, Draco looked up at McGonagall, who gave him an approving nod and who actually flashed him an approving smile, a rare honour. She then gestured at him to take a seat. Walking to the front of the class, she made eye contact with the Ministry official before saying, "I think it would be beneficial for all involved if you had a few moments of self reflection before having a discussion with your partner about the presentations we have seen today. Whenever you are ready, you may begin."

As soon as McGonagall had finished speaking, Draco turned to Hermione. He knew after all, exactly what he wanted to say!

"Hermione, I-"

Hermione raised a finger, and Draco fell silent.

"I'm not ready for us to be in a relationship yet, Draco. I think that there are still several things that we need to iron out. We did after all each behave badly in our own way, even if we have both acknowledged it and explained the reasons behind it. I would however, be interested in taking things slowly, maybe going on a few dates and seeing how that goes? It certainly seemed to go well the last time don't you think?" At this, she smiled at him, and to Draco, that was enough. Well, almost.

"That sounds fine, though there is one condition "

Arching an eyebrow. Hermione asked, "Oh?"

"Well, you see, if we're looking at rates of success, I'd say that kiss had been going well at first, and certainly merits a second try, don't you think?"

The two looked at each other before simultaneously bursting into laughter.

xxxxx

"You knew all along, didn't you?" Harry asked Blaise quietly.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked coldly, clearly still smarting from their confrontation during the party.

"I mean, you just seemed to grasp this entire situation. You understood that there was more going on than mere Slytherin fault, that we Gryffindors are at fault too, and I'm so sorry for that. You've been cool from the start, and I treated you badly, I admit it." Harry looked Blaise directly in the eye and held out his hand, the two men shook hands.

"Man, you gotta admire that Gryffindor courage!" Blaise said, eyeing Harry with admiration, for boldly admitting his fault.

"It looks twice as good next to you slippery Slytherins," Harry teased, clapping Blaise on the back. The two fell back easily into their easy, lighthearted friendship.

xxxxx

"...Pansy," Ginny said in an atypically timid way.

"Shut up, Bitch!" Pansy snapped. "I hate you!"

Ginny's temper immediate flared. "You listen here Pug-faced Parkinson! You are just as guilty here as me. I don't know what I did that has you acting like such a she-devil but you better spit it out or get over it because I'm not going to put up with this crap!"

"I hate you because I miss you like crazy!" Pansy blurted out.

There was a moment of total silence between the two firey witches, then suddenly they were hugging and laughing.

Blaise and Harry, who saw the entire exchange shared a chuckle.

"You know," Blaise said, "They're kind of well suited for each other don't you think?"

"Yes, I think it's good for Ginny to be friends with someone as firey as her." Harry agreed, gazing fondly at his girlfriend.

"You know, if you ever feel like that person is no longer you..." Blaise trailed off, half joking.

"Blaise, have you ever considered Pansy?" Harry offered.

Blaise looked momentarily taken aback, before appraising Pansy as he mused, "No I hadn't. But now that you mention it...hmm..."

"I mean, I know this class is about inner-house unity, but, love is love after all..." Harry laughed.

"We could always double," Blaise suggested. Glancing around at Ron and Daphne who were unashamedly snogging and Draco and Hermione who were trying and failing at being subtle about holding hands under their desk, "Or quadruple?"

"Is that even a thing?"

"It is now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more to go!


	15. Epilogue

Four months later...

"So what's the plan for tonight?" Pansy asked as she slipped into the vacant seat next to Hermione in Charms class.

A few months ago, an outsider observing the exchange may have thought that they were hallucinating. However, this type of exchange was now normal. The "quadruple date" that Blaise and Harry had suggested had been a huge success. Once the group had put aside their prejudices, they had discovered that they not only had a lot in common, but that they quite enjoyed each others company. It was hard to say what new couple was happiest, what novice friendship was deepest. There had been a bit of a snag when, in typical Ron fashion, he had been jealous of the blooming friendship between Harry and Blaise. However, after Blaise had asked him for some chess advice, explaining that he knew nothing about it, a suggestion which may or may not have shrewdly been suggested to him by Hermione, Ron felt mollified and secure in the belief that he had not grown inferior to Blaise and had given Blaise a fair shot, one which the other boy had not wasted. The two now enjoyed lengthy chats about food and practical jokes.

The success of the Adjustments class had prompted McGonagall to abolish the house divisions in the Great Hall among other divisive traditions at Hogwarts. While students were still sorted into the four houses for efficacy, they now enjoyed intermingling. There had been a few incidents, but the Great War had made people want to move on, and when the Gryffindors and Slytherins saw the golden trio acting friendly and dating the Slytherin Prince and his cronies, they were quick to follow suite.

"I think that we're meeting in the Room of Requirement after dinner." Hermione told Pansy with a smile.

xxxxx

"Hey you," Draco greeted Hermione as he took her hand and began guiding her away from the Great Hall where she had been headed.

"What's going on, Draco?" Hermione asked, confused.

"I thought that we could go to the Room of Requirement a bit earlier than the others," he explained.

"What about dinner?" she asked

"I've got that covered," he replied with an easy grin, gesturing to the picnic basket on his arm that she hadn't noticed before.

The butterflies that Hermione had grown accustomed to feeling in her stomach whenever she was around Draco fluttered madly at the notion he was presenting her with. Eager to have some time alone with him, it suddenly became her dragging him along.

As Minerva McGonagall observed the unlikely pair leave the entrance of the Great Hall, she felt not disapproval, but satisfaction, and a tad bit of smugness. While the Adjustments class had not been her idea, pairing Hermione and Draco together had been. Others had scoffed at the likelihood of the two getting along, but Minerva had recognised the size of Hermione's caring heart, and the desperation of a boy who had been raised to do and believe bad things, but who wanted more than anything to shed those beliefs. She had realised just how much her two students could help and teach one another...and maybe develop feelings along the way.

xxxxx

"You know," Draco said, gazing at his Gryffindor girlfriend over his bottle of butter beer (Harry's house elf connections had proved to be a very useful perk of being friends with the boy who lived) "these last few months with you have been the happiest of my life."

Hermione felt her cheeks redden under his steady, sincere gaze. Grasping his hand, she replied,

"I know what you mean, because I feel the same way about you. It's kind of crazy isn't it? I mean...a few years, or even a few months ago, I never would have even imagined us sitting like this...I guess maybe this Adjustments class wasn't such a bad idea."

"I know," Draco agreed. "Who would have ever thought that you and I would willingly sit in the same room, talking, laughing, kissing..."

Giggling, Hermione allowed herself to be lead over to the couch that had materialised thanks to the room's magical properties, to let her lips work off a few calories from dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And there you have it. My first completed multi-chap. I am both proud and saddened. Thank you to all of you who stuck it out with me ! If you liked it, please show your appreciation...it is the last chapter after all! I'd love to know what you thought, or any suggestions that you have for new stories-I'd like to start another but am looking for inspiration !
> 
> Thank you again, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. :)
> 
> ~fanofdenial


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